Standard Treatment Limited-stage small cell lung cancer is highly responsive to treatment with combination chemotherapy . Multiple drugs are generally superior to single-agent treatment. Current programs give objective response rates (the tumor gets smaller) of 80 to 90 percent, with complete response rates (the tumor disappears) of 45 to 75 percent. Radiation therapy given with the chemotherapy improves the survival rate.
As noted, a small minority of limited-stage patients without evidence of tumor in the mediastinum might benefit from surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy .
Two-Year Survival 15 to 30 percent
Extensive Stage
Standard Treatment Extensive-stage small cell lung cancer patients are given chemotherapy in much the same fashion as those with limited-stage disease. Current programs result in response rates of 70 to 85 percent and complete response rates of 20 to 30 percent.
Commonly used combination chemotherapy regimens include CAV (cyclophosphamide + doxorubicin + vincristine), CAVP16 (cyclophosphamide + doxorubicin + etoposide) and VPP (cisplatin + etoposide).
