SMALL-CELL LUNG-CANCER TREATMENT

In small cell lung cancer, the main treatment modality is chemotherapy, combinated with early thoracic radiation therapy for patients with complete response. The treatment of relapse with chemotherapy is efficient. The precocity of the response after initiating multimodality treatment is the main prognosis factor The prophylactic cranial irradiation reduce the frequency of brain metastases, but has no significant effect on survival. Patients with very limited small cell lung cancer (TNM stage I and II) can be managed by surgery. Association with colony stimulating factors can lessen the severity of neutropenic and infectious episodes. The role of maintenance therapy by interferon a in clinically disease free patients is suggested.