[Chemotherapy of bronchus carcinoma]

The use of chemotherapy will eventually be discussed in most patients with lung cancer, due to the systemic nature of the disease. In small cell lung cancer combination chemotherapy will achieve a response in the majority of patients and will lead to a five-fold increase in median survival. A small proportion of these patients will survive disease-free for a prolonged period of time and may be cured of their disease. In non-small cell lung cancer about one third of all patients will achieve an objective tumor response with the use of cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy. There is a small, but definite increase in median survival with the use of combination chemotherapy compared to best supportive care alone. Also in non-small cell lung cancer a small proportion of patients will survive after combination chemotherapy for a prolonged period of time. The use of cytotoxic treatment in lung cancer is associated with considerable toxicity so that optimal supportive care is mandatory.