Chemotherapy for advanced lung cancer. When to expect a response.
Chemotherapy has been shown to lengthen survival in patients with stage IIIA NSCLC when used pre-operatively (major response rates of 50% to 75%). Chemotherapy in combination with radiation for unresectable stage IIIA or IIIB disease has also improved survival rates. Major response rates of 10% to 30% are reported in cases of stage IV disease. Chemotherapy is now remarkably successful in achieving response in patients with limited SCLC, and 5-year survival rates as high as 10% to 15% are reported. Further increases in the 5-year survival rate will depend on improved chemotherapeutic treatment of nonsurgical disease. Research in the 1990s has presented a number of new chemotherapeutic agents with promising activity against this recalcitrant disease.
Midthun
D E
DE
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Jett
J R
JR
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents