Second-line chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer

The literature on second-line chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) for the period 1979-1989 is reviewed. The reports consisted mainly of Phase II type studies and comprised a total of 987 patients with relatively few patients per study. The information was frequently incomplete with regard to duration of response on first-line chemotherapy, length of any drug-free interval and duration of response on second-line chemotherapy. The overall second-line response rate was 30%, but only 5% were complete responses (CR). The response rates obtained by the combination of cisplatinum (P) and VP-16 (E) or reinduction therapy were 45% and 64% (medians), respectively. These rates were superior to regimens consisting of supposedly non-cross-resistant agents. With P and E not given in combination, the response rates were less than 20%.