Stage II

Surgical resection is the best treatment for stage II NSCLC.

Cure can be obtained in 30-45% of cases.

There is good evidence that radiation therapy added to surgery will reduce the chance of recurrent disease inside the chest, but no evidence to prove that the chance of cure will be increased.

Chemotherapy in patients with Stage II non-small cell lung cancer should be given within a controlled study, since there is no proof that such therapy enhances survival at this time. JBR10 Phase III Intergroup is a prospective randomized study of adjuvant chemotherapy with Vinorelbine and Cisplatin in completely resected NSCLC in T2N0M0 and T1-2N1M0 patients, (Stages IB and IIA) designed to determine whether adjuvant chemotherapy will improve recurrence rate and/or survival. I am offering this study to patients in my practice at City of Hope.

Tumors with chest wall invasion are classified as T3. Such tumors were previously in Stage IIIA. In the new staging system of 1997, such tumors are in Stage IIB.

The following computerized tomogram is from a patient with NSCLC with invasion of the parietal pleura. The tumor was completely resected by lobectomy combined with resection of portions of three ribs. The chest wall defect was repaired with 2mm. polytetrafluroethylene (Gortex).