Cancer Res Treat.  2003 Jun;35(3):177-180.

Treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer

• Horiike A
• Saijo N

Abstract

Among patients with lung cancer, approximately 15% have small cell lung cancer (SCLC), SCLC is usually staged as either limited and extensive. Extensive-stage SCLC is treated primarily with chemotherapy. A recent Japanese randomized trial compared cisplatin and irinotecan (IP) with cisplatin and etoposide (EP). Patients in the IP arm did significantly better than patients in the EP arm. In the IP arm, the response rate was 84%, and the median overall survival period was 12.8 months. Limited- stage SCLC is usually treated with concurrent chemotherapy and accelerated radiation therapy, and approximately 20% of patients are cured. Future research should focus on optimizing chemotherapy regimens and radiation therapy schedules. The role of molecular targeted drugs in the treatment of SCLC must also be evaluated.

Keyword

Small cell lung cancer; Chemotherapy; Radiation therapy; Cisplatin; Etoposide; Irinotecan

MeSH Terms

Appointments and Schedules
Arm
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Cisplatin
Drug Therapy
Etoposide
Humans
Lung Neoplasms
Small Cell Lung Carcinoma*
Cisplatin
Etoposide