Comparison of the efficacy and acute toxicity of weekly versus daily chemoradiotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis.

Recent studies have reported improved survival with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (ChRT) for inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ChRT includes the delivery of low-dose chemotherapy given daily during radiotherapy (RT) or higher doses administered weekly. It remains unknown whether a difference in efficacy or toxicity exists between these approaches. A systematic review was performed to compare the efficacy and toxicity of weekly vs. daily ChRT.The results from randomized studies comparing ChRT to RT for NSCLC were pooled using meta-analyses. The relative risk (RR) of death at 1, 2, and 3 years and of acute esophagitis, pneumonitis, or neutropenia (World Health Organization Grade 3 or greater) were determined.Ten studies involving 1802 patients were included. No significant difference in mortality or toxicity was observed between the weekly and daily regimens: RR of death at 2 years-weekly 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87-0.99; daily 0.92, 95% CI 0.85-1.00; RR of death at 3 years-weekly 0.93, 95% CI 0.89-0.98; daily 0.90, 95% CI 0.81-1.01; RR of esophagitis-weekly 2.07, 95% CI 0.96-4.46; daily 1.70, 95% CI 1.17-2.48; RR of pneumonitis-weekly 1.52, 95% CI 0.93-2.48; daily 1.17, 95% CI 0.65-2.09; and RR of neutropenia-weekly 8.57, 95% CI 3.75-19.58; daily 11.93, 95% CI 1.55-92.12.No statistically significant difference in efficacy or acute toxicity was observed to suggest the superiority of daily vs. weekly ChRT regimens for NSCLC.