Stage III is divided into IIIA and IIIB. Both show involvement of nodes in the center of the chest, but Stage IIIA tumors may be removed under certain limited circumstances.
Standard Treatment These tumors are generally treated with radiation therapy . Patients with one or a few small mediastinal lymph nodes involved by tumor may be candidates for surgery.
Although most patients do not completely respond to radiation therapy alone, 5 to 10 percent do experience long-term survival benefit.
Radiation therapy is frequently given after surgery. Although there is no evidence that this improves survival, there can be a decrease in local recurrences in the chest.
