title: Radiotherapy for small cell lung cancer.
abstract: The role of radiation therapy in the primary management of small cell lung cancer is very much a matter of current debate. Its value in palliative treatment is unquestioned. Disappointment in the apparent inability to demonstrate improvement in survival in some randomized studies as a result of locoregional radiotherapy and prophylactic cranial irradiation may be due to the use of inappropriate study analysis. Recent studies using the end points of 2-year survival and local thoracic control do demonstrate improvements associated with locoregional thoracic radiotherapy. Factors such as total dose and radiation fraction size may be important. Large-field irradiation is also currently attracting interest, but its use should remain a research investigation.
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002460:Cell Line; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000528:radiation effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011897:Random Allocation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation