Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without combined radiotherapy followed by surgery may yield a survival profit for selected patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma in stage IIIA. It has not yet been established which is the most efficacious neoadjuvant chemotherapy nor what is the best postneoadjuvant chemotherapy, especially resection or radiotherapy. Comparative clinical studies to find the answer to these two questions are in progress. New forms of treatment are required in order to achieve 5-year survival in more stage IIIA patients than is currently the case.