{"doi":"10.2147/cmar.s517837","title":"Retrospective Analysis of the Timing of Radiotherapy Intervention After Induction Chemoimmunotherapy in Unresectable Locally Advanced Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma","abstract":"<h4>Background</h4>The optimal combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), radiotherapy, and chemotherapy for unresectable locally advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma (LA-LUSC) remains undefined. This study evaluated induction chemoimmunotherapy followed by radiotherapy ± consolidation ICI in unresectable LA-LUSC, specifically exploring radiotherapy timing impact.<h4>Methods</h4>We retrospectively analyzed 54 unresectable LA-LUSC patients receiving induction chemoimmunotherapy followed by radiotherapy. Patients were grouped by radiotherapy timing: Early (after 2-3 induction cycles, n = 18) and Late (after 4-6 cycles, n = 36). Survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier, Log-rank) compared progression-free survival (PFS), local PFS (LPFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Prognostic factors for PFS/OS were explored.<h4>Results</h4>Median follow-up was 30.7 months. Median PFS for all patients was 21.9 months. Early radiotherapy improved PFS (HR = 0.43, p = 0.024) and LPFS (HR = 0.36, p = 0.038). Radiotherapy after 2-3 induction cycles was an independent predictor of improved PFS (p = 0.040). Overall treatment tolerance was good; grade ≥3 pneumonitis incidence was 5.56%. After propensity score matching, OS was significantly longer in patients receiving induction plus consolidation ICI versus induction ICI alone (HR = 0.51, p = 0.038).<h4>Conclusion</h4>Induction chemoimmunotherapy followed by radiotherapy demonstrates promising efficacy and manageable toxicity in unresectable LA-LUSC. Initiating radiotherapy earlier (after 2-3 induction cycles) improves PFS and LPFS and is an independent favorable prognostic factor. Consolidation ICI after combined chemoimmunotherapy and radiotherapy further extends OS compared to induction ICI alone.","journal":"Cancer Management and Research","year":2025,"id":1742,"datarank":0.0,"base_score":0.0,"endowment":0.0,"self_citation_contribution":0.0,"citation_network_contribution":0.0,"self_endowment_contribution":0.0,"citer_contribution":0.0,"corpus_percentile":null,"corpus_rank":null,"citation_count":0,"citer_count":0,"citers_with_citation_signal":0,"citers_with_endowment":0,"datacite_reuse_total":0,"is_dataset":false,"is_dataset_confidence":0.0394,"is_data_producer":false,"deposit_databanks":null,"is_oa":true,"file_count":0,"downloads":0,"has_version_chain":false,"published_date":"2025-07-01","fair_score":null,"fair_percentile":null,"algorithm_id":"datarank_citation_only_1hop_v6","ranking_scope":"data_only","authors":[{"id":19589,"name":"Yu Zhang","orcid":"0000-0002-1778-8389","position":1,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":19598,"name":"Aiju Zeng","orcid":null,"position":2,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":19599,"name":"Daiyuan Ma","orcid":"0000-0002-0757-9487","position":3,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":19600,"name":"Liang Yu","orcid":"0009-0007-3922-3454","position":4,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":19601,"name":"Ao Zeng","orcid":null,"position":5,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":12544,"name":"Li Zeng","orcid":"0000-0001-6109-9583","position":0,"is_corresponding":true}],"reference_count":37,"raw_metadata":null,"created_at":"2026-03-01T18:20:47.508186Z","pmid":null,"pmcid":null,"fwci":null,"citation_percentile":null,"influential_citations":0,"oa_status":null,"license":null,"views":0,"total_file_size_bytes":0,"version_count":0,"fair_f":null,"fair_a":null,"fair_i":null,"fair_r":null,"fair_zscore":null,"fair_rationale":null,"fair_model":null,"fair_agent_version":null,"fair_fulltext_source":null,"fair_has_llm":null,"fair_computed_at":null,"clinical_trials":[],"software_tools":[],"db_accessions":[],"linked_datasets":[],"topics":[]}