Late toxicities and complications in three-year survivors of small cell lung cancer

123 patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) presented to the National Cancer Center Hospital (Tokyo) between 1978 and 1986. 22 of 71 patients with limited stage disease (LD) and none of 52 patients with extensive disease (ED) survived for 3 years. 15 of the 22 three year survivors had significant late complications. All patients received chemotherapy and either thoracic irradiation, resection or both. No prophylactic cranial irradiation was given. 4 patients developed cardiac failure, 2 with a dilated cardiomyopathy, despite the fact that no patient received over 420 mg/m2 of doxorubicin. 12 patients of the 17 who received thoracic irradiation developed radiation pneumonitis and 3 required hospitalisation for severe haemoptysis (2) or cavity formation (1). 1 patient who received nimustine developed a fatal myelodysplastic syndrome and 2 additional patients developed second primary tumours in the oesophagus (1) and stomach (1). Mild peripheral neuropathy (WHO grade 1) was persistent in 3 patients and asymptomatic azotemia (WHO grade 1) in 7. Despite advances in the treatment of SCLC there are very few asymptomatic long-term survivors.