Higher radiation dose plus Erbitux not beneficial for Lung Cancer patients

An interim analysis of a Phase III trial to find out if high doses of radiation plus Erbitux (cetuximab), from BMS, increases survival among stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients reveals that a higher dose of radiation (74 Gy) does not improve overall survival for non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes, compared to the standard radiation dose (60 Gy). Investigators randomized 423 patients to different doses of radiation therapy and concurrent chemotherapy of paclitaxel and carboplatin with or without Erbitux. Patients received one of four treatment arms: standard-dose (60 Gy) versus high-dose (74 Gy) radiation therapy and to chemotherapy with or without Erbitux. Based on the study's early findings, the two arms of the trial which used high-dose radiation therapy were closed to patient accrual.