Therapy for stage I and stage II non-small cell lung cancer

Complete resection remains the optimal treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer limited to the lung, certain adjacent structures, and N1 lymph nodes. The disappointing fact that a third to three-fourths of such patients, depending on substage, will die of lung cancer has led to interest in combining therapies. Although data are inconclusive, improved treatment regimens appear promising. In addition, stratification beyond pure TNM stage of patients likely to fail primary surgery will help focus efforts oil optimal ways to combine current modalities and on developing entirely new approaches to treatment.