title: Small cell lung cancer presenting as a solitary pulmonary nodule.
abstract: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) rarely presents radiographically as a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN). Twenty-five patients with this feature were identified among 408 individuals with SCLC at McGill University (Montreal, Quebec) from 1979 through 1984. Of these, 15 (60%) were confirmed on pathologic review as SCLC (ten intermediate cell, four oat cell, one indeterminate). Pathologic review of a control group comprising 24 other limited-disease patients who were long-term survivors (greater than 20 months) confirmed 20 (84%) as SCLC (eight intermediate cell, 12 oat cell). Ten of the 15 patients with SPN were resected whereas five had chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy as primary treatment. Postoperative chemotherapy was administered to most of the resected patients. The median survival of the 15 patients with SPN was 24 months, a significantly longer survival than the other patients with SCLC. This improved prognosis in patients with SPN may be due to smaller initial tumor burden or to a fundamental biologic difference between SPN and other forms of SCLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Quoix
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wolkove
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Finkelstein
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kreisman
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery