Gemcitabine plus radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

Radiosensitization promises to improve local control in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The nucleoside analogue gemcitabine, which is not only a potent radiosensitizer but also has significant antitumor activity in this disease, is an important candidate for such a strategy. This report describes the design of a clinical phase I study for treatment of patients with locally advanced NSCLC using gemcitabine and radiotherapy. It also discusses some of the practical constraints that must be taken into consideration when evaluating this type of combined modality strategy in the clinic.