title: First-line chemotherapy in metastatic small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).
abstract: The overall treatment results in metastatic small-cell lung cancer have not been changed in the last decades. The prognosis of the disease is still poor with median survival times of less than one year and nearly no chance of cure. This article intends to summarize the current status of treatment in m-SCLC and especially focuses on the aspects of choice of drugs and efforts of treatment intensification either by dose escalation or shortening of treatment intervals. Furthermore the currently available data about the activity of newer drugs, including taxanes and topoisomerase I inhibitors are reported. These cytostatic agents widen the therapeutic options in the treatment of SCLC and will hopefully improve the outcome of the patients in the next years.
authors.affiliation: Klinikum Kassel, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Haematology and Oncology, Moenchebergstrasse 41-43, D-34125 Kassel, Germany. mwolf@klinikum-kassel.de
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tebbe
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fink
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010166:Palliative Care