title: Treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer.
abstract: Among patients with lung cancer, approximately 15% have small cell lung cancer (SCLC), SCLC is usually staged as either limited and extensive. Extensive-stage SCLC is treated primarily with chemotherapy. A recent Japanese randomized trial compared cisplatin and irinotecan (IP) with cisplatin and etoposide (EP). Patients in the IP arm did significantly better than patients in the EP arm. In the IP arm, the response rate was 84%, and the median overall survival period was 12.8 months. Limited- stage SCLC is usually treated with concurrent chemotherapy and accelerated radiation therapy, and approximately 20% of patients are cured. Future research should focus on optimizing chemotherapy regimens and radiation therapy schedules. The role of molecular targeted drugs in the treatment of SCLC must also be evaluated.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horiike
authors.forename: Nagahiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saijo
keywords: Chemotherapy; Cisplatin; Etoposide; Irinotecan; Radiation therapy; Small cell lung cancer