[General hyperthermia in the chemoradiotherapy of small-cell lung cancer]

Treatment results were compared in 2 groups of patients with advanced small-cell lung cancer. Group 1 (52 cases) received chemoradiation treatment alone whereas in group 2 (41 patients) it was combined with general hyperthermia (temperature 40-41.8 degrees C during 3-4 hours). Response was observed in 63.5% of patients of group 1 and 79.5% of those in group 2. Complete response rates did not differ significantly (23.1 and 28.2%, respectively). 40.6 +/- 8.2% of patients receiving chemoradiation treatment plus general hyperthermia survived over 1 year, 20.5 +/- 7.1%--over 1.5 years and 15.9 +/- 6.7%--over 2 years. In the control group, the respective rates were 22.2 +/- 5.8%, 5.1 +/- 3.4% and 5.1 +/- 3.4%.