European Lung Cancer Working Party Clinical Practice Guidelines. Non-small cell lung cancer: I. Early stages

The present guidelines on the management of resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were formulated by the (ELCWP) in April 2005. They aim in answering the following eleven questions: 1) Is surgery the best therapy for a potentially resectable cancer? 2) How is complete resection defined? 3) Is systematic lymph node dissection necessary during surgery? 4) What is the role of radiotherapy after complete resec tion? 5) Should adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy be administered in clinical stages I or II? 6) Should adjuvant chemotherapy be administered in pathological stages I or II? 7) Is adjuvant therapy advisable after complete resection for pathologi cal stage IIIA N2? If yes, of what type: chemotherapy, radiotherapy or chemotradio herapy? 8) What are the indications for surgery after induction treatment, in clinical stages IIIA or IIIB? 9) In clinical stages IIIA or IIIB, is preoperative therapy required and of what type? 10) What type of treatment is indicated after an incomplete surgical resection? 11) What is the best regimen for (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy