Effects of docetaxel plus three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy on microvessel density and apoptosis expression in local advanced squamous non-small-cell lung cancer.

We examined the effects of weekly single-agent docetaxel plus three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) on apoptotic index (AI) and microvessel density (MVD) in local advanced non-small-cell lung squamous cancer patients and analyzed the correlation of MVD, AI, and 50% tumor shrinkage time (T0.5) The molecular mechanism of docetaxel radiosensitization was investigated. Sixty untreated patients with stage IIIA or IIIB lung squamous cancer were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups: observation (N = 30; 3D-CRT + docetaxel + adjuvant chemotherapy) and control (N = 30; 3D-CRT + adjuvant chemotherapy). From day 1 radiotherapy, the observation group received intravenous docetaxel (36 mg/m(2)) once weekly for 6 weeks. Post-radiotherapy, chemotherapy of docetaxel combined with cisplatin lasted 4-6 cycles in both groups. Before radiotherapy and within 24 h after radiotherapy (20 Gy), bronchoscopic biopsy was performed twice at the same site. To analyze the MVD of tumor specimens with immunohistochemical staining . The AI of lung cancer cells was assessed with TUNEL assay, T0.5 values were calculated. The observation group had significantly lower MVD than the control group (P < 0.05). AI significantly increased before and after treatment in the observation group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The decreased MVD values negatively correlated with T0.5 values (r = -0.624, P < 0.05), whereas the increased AI values did not correlate with the T0.5 values. Docetaxel radiosensitization may occur by decrease in MVD and increase in AI values. Weekly single-agent docetaxel plus 3D-CRT can improve prognosis and quality of life in local advanced non-small-cell lung squamous cancer patients.