Multidisciplinary management of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in stage III: clinical case description. Recommendations and state of the art

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in industrialized countries with progressive increase of its mortality rate. Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC ) is approximately 80-85% of all lung cancers, being adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma the most common histologies. The majority of the patients with stage III clinical stage, presents a mediastinal lymph node involvement described with computed tomography (TC) and/or positron emission tomography (PET). The current approach to patients with NSCLC is multidisciplinary, especially for those staged as potentially operable, both for staging and for a correct definition of best treatment strategy. Updated international and national Guidelines and recommendations can provide valuable support to the clinician.The case described concerns the accidental detection of a tumour in the lung in a 58-year-old man with arterial hypertension controlled with ACE inhibitors. The treatments agreed after a multidisciplinary approach are cisplatin and docetaxel, the surgical resection, and the radiotherapy. After three months the patient has neither metastasis nor relapse.