[The role of surgical resection in treating small cell lung cancer]

Compares with non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) generally has a more rapid doubling time, a higher growth fraction, and earlier development of widespread metastases. Surgical operation has little impact on long-term survival of SCLC patients. Chemotherapy with combined radiotherapy has been recommended as the main treatment of SCLC. Patients with SCLC in excess of stage T2N0 do not benefit from surgical operation. But some data suggest the potential benefit of surgcial resection in the few patients with very limited disease, especially peripheral T1-2N0 lesions. Surgical resection can also prevent the recurrence of local disease. The role of surgical resection in the management of SCLC remains to be defined.