Predicting Cell Death by Radiation Therapy in Early Stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: a Prospective Translational Trial

Surgical resection with mediastinal lymph node sampling is currently the therapy of choice for early stage (I-II) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Selected patients unwilling or unable to tolerate surgery are referred for so-called 'curative' high dose radiotherapy. This has shown to result in a long term local disease control rate and a high cancer specific survival. The current trial addresses the relationship between blood and tissue biomarkers, bio-imaging and pathology in patients with early stage NSCLC treated with hypofractionated radiation therapy and surgery.