Combined modality therapy for limited-disease small cell lung cancer

Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) is highly sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, despite initial responses, relapses are common and most patients eventually succumb to this disease. Patients with limited-disease SCLC represent approximately 30% of all patients with SCLC, and are potentially curable when treated with combined chemotherapy and thoracic radiotherapy (TRT). Chemotherapy consists of four cycles of the combination of cisplatin and etoposide (PE). Thoracic radiotherapy should be started with the first or second cycle of chemotherapy, and preferably administered twice daily for 3 weeks. Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) is recommended for patients who achieve a complete response. Surgery is of limited value in SCLC, except in patients who present with a solitary pulmonary nodule. Approximately 20% to 25% of patients with limited disease (LD)-SCLC can be cured with this aggressive approach. Newer treatment modalities are currently under investigation.