Results of surgery in small cell carcinoma of the lung.
OBJECTIVE
The experiences published by various groups have re-opened the debate on the role of surgery in the management of patients with small cell lung cancer, especially in those with early stage disease (T1-T2 N0). Our study reports the survival rate of 47 patients with small cell lung cancer treated surgically.


METHODS
Ours is a prospective study that selected patients with lung cancer recommended for surgery (n=2994) between 1993 and 1997 based on operability criteria accepted by the Bronchogenic Carcinoma Cooperative Group of the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery. We report the clinical as well as pathological stages of the patients with small cell lung cancer (n=47), later analysing the 5-year survival rate after surgery using the Kaplan-Meier method.


RESULTS
In 31 patients (66%), resection was complete; 3 patients (6%) received induction treatment and 30 (64%) adjuvant treatment. Five years later, 26% (95% CI 12-40%) of the patients that received surgical treatment were still alive. When we analysed the patients that underwent complete resection, 31% (95% CI 13-49%) survived 5 years or more. In patients at stage Ip (n=15), 36% (95% CI 11-61%) were still living after 5 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Until future studies compare surgery plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy and radiotherapy, it seems reasonable to offer surgical treatment to those patients with early stage small cell lung cancer (T1-T2-N0).
Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, c/San Martin de Porres, 4 28035, Madrid, Spain. dgavm@yahoo.es
David Gómez
DG
de Antonio
Fernando
F
Alfageme
Pablo
P
Gámez
Mar
M
Córdoba
Andrés
A
Varela
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000401:mortality