The relative radioresponsiveness of small cell lung cancer

Sixty-eight irradiated patients with one of the four major histological cell types of lung carcinoma were analyzed to provide additional evidence on the known radioresponsiveness of small (oat) cell lung cancer. The majority of evaluable subjects obtained symptom(s) relief irrespective of histology. Relatively higher complete objective response rates and longer average periods of survival were observed in individuals with undifferentiated large or small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) than in those with squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma. Three of six long-term survivors were from the SCLC patient group. It was concluded that radiotherapy response is a predictive factor for survival and that SCLC is not radioresistant.