[Non-surgical treatment of small cell lung cancer with chemo-radio-immunotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine].
54 consecutive cases of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were treated with longterm short-interval combined treatment modalities of chemotherapy, radiotherapy (55-65 GY), immunotherapy, traditional Chinese medicine (leaf of Asiatic Ginseng, root of Astragalus membranaceus Bge, etc) and other adjuvants. Chemotherapy consisted of vincristine, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and carmustine. A complete response of 59.2%, partial response of 38.9% and an overall response of 98.1% were achieved. According to Kaplan-Meier, the survival rates of SCLC with limited disease for 1, 3, 5 and 10 years were 78.1%, 42.6%, 32.1% and 21.4% respectively; while those with extensive disease for 1, 3, and 5 years 90.5%, 13.4% and 13.4%. According to classification of international TNM staging (1988), the survival rates of stage II SCLC for 1, 3, 5 and 10 years were 92.9%, 61.9%, 53.1% and 31.8% respectively; of stage IIIa for 1, 3 and 5 years 80.0%, 30.0% and 20.0%, and of stage IIIb 83.3%, 20.8% and 15.6%. Our combined modalities raised the survival rates considerably; the improved effect was mainly due to the long-term (especially more than 2 years or 10 courses), short-interval, effective and timely combined treatment with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and adjuvants such as traditional Chinese medicine and immunotherapy. By using the above therapeutic strategy, 10 out of 12 SCLC patients including 4 with extensive disease, who were relatives of our hospital staffs, have gained more than 3-17 years of survival. Therefore small cell lung cancer even with extensive disease was a hopeful curable disease.
Cha
R J
RJ
General Hospital of PLA, Beijing.
Zeng
D W
DW
Chang
Q S
QS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D027885:Astragalus propinquus; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D015996:Survival Rate
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal