A trial looking at standard treatment with or without chemotherapy for non small lung cancer (Big Lung Trial)

The researchers in this trial found that adding chemotherapy to radiotherapy or surgery was not a useful treatment for non small cell lung cancer. But they say it did help people who had best supportive care.

1, 394 people with non small cell lung cancer took part in the trial

• 381 had surgery
• 288 had radiotherapy
• 725 had best supportive care

In each of the 3 different treatment groups, half had their treatment alone and half had their treatment and one of the following chemotherapy combinations

• Cisplatin and vindesine (CV)
• Mitomycin, ifosfamide and cisplatin (MIC)
• Mitomycin, vinblastine and cisplatin (CVP)
• Vinorelbine (Navelbine) and cisplatin (NP)

The researchers analysed the results in 2003. They looked at how well the treatment worked. They found that having chemotherapy with surgery or radiotherapy did not work any better than either treatment alone.

When they looked at the results for the best supportive group, they found that adding chemotherapy to best supportive care helped this group of patients without affecting quality of life. The number of people alive one year after treatment was slightly higher in the group who had best supportive care and chemotherapy (29%) compared to the group who had best supportive care alone (20%). On average, the people who had chemotherapy and best supportive care lived about 2 ½ months longer than the group who had best supportive care alone.

The main side effects of chemotherapy included a drop in blood cells and feeling or being sick. The side effects were worse for people who had 3 different chemotherapy drugs compared to those who had had 2.

We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the trial. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (peer reviewed ) and published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the trial team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.