Treatment of thoracic malignancy – results of meta-analyses

Revue des Maladies Respiratoire. 2005 Dec;22(6-C2):81-89. [Link]

Sculier JP.

Service des Soins Intensifs & Oncologie Thoracique, Institut Jules Bordet, Bruxelles, Belgique.

Abstract

Meta-analyses dealing with the treatment of thoracic malignancy (non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer and mesothelioma) were reviewed including isolated ones, based on individual data from clinical trials, or conducted in the context of a systematic review of the literature Their results have changed clinical practice, notably by validating radiochemotherapy for patients with unresectable limited diseases, adjuvant chemotherapy for resectable non-small cell lung cancer and by identifying the most active drugs. However it is important to understand the limits of their methodology in order to avoid inappropriate interpretations.