Combined chemoradiation therapy for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer

After nearly 4 decades of use in treating small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), thoracic radiation has become integral to the management of limited-stage disease. Many prospective randomized trials have demonstrated that adding thoracic radiation therapy to chemotherapy improves locoregional control and survival at 3 and 5 years. This has resulted in a greater appreciation of the role of thoracic radiation in the treatment of SCLC. Currently, the most commonly used regimens incorporate concurrent administration of cisplatin (Platinol) and etoposide (VePesid) chemotherapy and radiation doses of 45 Gy given over 5 weeks. However, issues concerning timing, volume, and dose fractionation remain to be resolved.