Management of non-small cell and small cell lung cancer

This review addresses means for the improvement of treatment results in small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. In small cell lung cancer prognostic factors such as the distinction between classic and variant type in vivo remain an important subject for further investigations. Data concerning the schedule dependency of etoposide will lead to the investigation of new treatment regimens. The effect of warfarin is intriguing and warrants further research. Investigations of the damaging effects of prophylactic brain irradiation versus the effect on survival should be awaited before the role of prophylactic brain irradiation can be defined. The role of radiotherapy in the improvement of survival of limited-disease patients remains controversial. In non-small cell lung cancer the role of both radiotherapy and chemotherapy is still a matter of a seemingly never-ending debate. A major problem is the selection of patients. Therefore only randomized phase III trials should be performed in carefully defined subgroups of patients, based upon stage, performance status, and presence or absence of symptoms.