[Treatment of small cell bronchial carcinoma with reference to stage classification]

There are controversial views and discussions on surgical treatment of small cell lung cancer. A retrospective study covering the period from 1959 through 1983 has been conducted by the authors to analyse resective approaches to lung cancer. A total of 2,039 resections for lung cancer included operations on 354 small cell carcinomas according to the WHO nomenclature. Operations were performed on 265 cases of small cell lung cancer by the end of 1977. These were subdivided by stages, with survival rates being determined. An overall five-year survival rate was recorded from 22.8 per cent of the cases with 43.0 per cent in Stage Ia und 21.4 per cent in Stage Ib. Hence, resection of small cell lung cancer is fully supported by the authors for Stage Ia and is conditionally supported for Stage Ib, whereas complex radiotherapy and chemotherapy should be applied to small cell lung cancer in the advanced Stage II and III.