Back to Search Start Over

Limited small cell lung cancer: prognostic significance of a complete response to the induction phase of chemotherapy followed by thoracic irradiation.

Limited small cell lung cancer: prognostic significance of a complete response to the induction phase of chemotherapy followed by thoracic irradiation.

Authors :
Armstrong JG
Rosenstein MM
Scher HI
Fass DE
Zelefsky MJ
Kris MG
Source :
Radiology [Radiology] 1991 Mar; Vol. 178 (3), pp. 875-8.
Publication Year :
1991

Abstract

Limited-stage small cell lung cancer is frequently treated with induction combination chemotherapy (ICC), followed by consolidation with thoracic irradiation. It has been suggested that patients who do not have a complete response to ICC are unlikely to have control of occult distant metastasis and consequently have such a poor prognosis that thoracic irradiation is unlikely to be of benefit. To examine this hypothesis, 48 patients treated on prospective protocols who achieved a complete response to ICC or subsequently to thoracic irradiation were analyzed. Twenty-four patients had a complete response to ICC (CR-ICC), and 24 subsequently converted to complete-response status after thoracic irradiation (CR-TI). The two groups had similar prognostic factors and treatment. Comparing CR-ICC and CR-TI patients, survival was 40% versus 26% at 2 years and 35% versus 4% at 5 years, respectively (P less than .05). Freedom from distant metastasis was 41% at 5 years for the CR-ICC patients and 8% for the CR-TI patients (P less than .05). A modest number of CR-TI patients were long-term survivors, suggesting a value for thoracic irradiation as consolidation therapy.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0033-8419
Volume :
178
Issue :
3
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Radiology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
1847240
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1148/radiology.178.3.1847240