Treatment of small cell lung cancer.
Treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains a significant challenge for the oncologists. Attempts to improve the results of first-line treatment have all failed so far and no real progress has been made in last years, emphasizing the need for novel strategies of treatment and the development of validated biomarkers. Patients with limited disease and good performance status should be considered for concomitant chemoradiotherapy, followed by prophylactic cranial irradiation. Patients with extensive disease should be treated with a platinum-based chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin); chest radiotherapy can be considered in patients achieving extra-thoracic complete response and prophylactic cranial irradiation is recommended for patients responsive to initial chemotherapy. A large number of molecular-targeted drugs and immunomodulators are currently in clinical development: however, only a better understanding of molecular biology of SCLC and the identification of molecular markers predictive of response to targeted agents will lead to advances in the treatment of SCLC.
Medical Oncology Unit, Thoraco-Pulmonary Department, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy. Electronic address: a.morabito@istitutotumori.na.it.
Alessandro
A
Morabito
Department of Oncology and Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliera Pugliese-Ciaccio, Catanzaro, Italy.
Guido
G
Carillio
Clinical Trials Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy.
Gennaro
G
Daniele
Clinical Trials Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy.
Maria Carmela
MC
Piccirillo
Medical Oncology Unit, Thoraco-Pulmonary Department, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy.
Agnese
A
Montanino
Medical Oncology Unit, Thoraco-Pulmonary Department, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy.
Raffaele
R
Costanzo
Medical Oncology Unit, Thoraco-Pulmonary Department, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy.
Claudia
C
Sandomenico
Clinical Trials Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy.
Pasqualina
P
Giordano
Cellular Biology and Biotherapy, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy; Centro di Ricerche Oncologiche di Mercogliano (CROM), Mercogliano, Avellino, Italy.
Nicola
N
Normanno
Clinical Trials Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy.
Francesco
F
Perrone
Thoracic Surgery, Thoraco-Pulmonary Department, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy.
Gaetano
G
Rocco
Clinical Trials Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, "Fondazione G. Pascale" - IRCCS, Napoli, Italy.
Massimo
M
Di Maio
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016190:Carboplatin; D002945:Cisplatin
Chemotherapy; Immunomodulators; Radiotherapy; Small cell lung cancer; Targeted agents