Long-term survival in small cell carcinoma of the lung
M. Hansen, H. H. Hansen and P. Dombernowsky
From June 1973 to August 1977, three hundred thirty-seven patients with
small cell carcinoma of the lung were included in randomized therapeutic
trials. By February 1979, fifty-one patients (15%) had survived for 18
months, including 29 (9%) in clinical complete remission. Of the latter
patients, readmitted for restaging, including bone marrow examination,
peritoneoscopy, and bronchomediastinoscopy, residual tumor was found in
four. Treatment was discontinued in the remaining patients; six
subsequently had relapses, while three patients died, free of disease, of
other causes. Sixteen patients are still alive and free of disease more
than 19 to 50 months after the primary diagnosis; seven were treated with
combination chemotherapy alone, including four who initially had distant
metastatic disease. The remaining nine patients had regional disease and
were treated with both chemotherapy and radiotherapy, including
prophylactic brain irradiation in four patients. Long-term survival can be
achieved in a small number of patients in all stages of small cell
carcinoma with intensive combination chemotherapy.
