Locally advanced or unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLS) is considered an incurable disease with a life expectancy of less than two years regardless of treatment. Many patients with stage II and most with stage III NSCLC that are initially controlled with surgery or radiation relapse at a remote site. This is believed to be due to the presence of malignant cells within the local tumor draining lymphatic system or at remote sites at the time of initial diagnosis. Local treatment modalities such as tumor irradiation as well as systemic chemotherapy have been clearly ineffective in controlling disease progression. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if the chemotherapy drug Taxotere, as a radiation sensitizer, administered once weekly before each single dose of radiation is effective in shrinking non-small cell lung cancer. The study is also investigating if starting the treatment program by radiating a larger area of the body one day per week for two weeks after a single dose of taxotere will help to stop the cancer from spreading within or outside the chest. This trial will also investigate how well this treatment is tolerated and what effects this treatment will have on the everyday life and activities of the participants.
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