Small cell bronchogenic carcinoma

We have attempted to highlight the most important aspects of SCBC in this review. The significant strides made in a variety of areas have been associated with increased response rates and survival as well as with a prolonged disease-free interval in a fraction of patients. The consensus is that 50% or more of patients with LD can achieve a CR, with an overall objective response rate of 80% or greater and a median overall survival of 14 months or longer. Furthermore, 15% to 20% of such patients may expect a disease-free interval of at least three years that appears to be associated with cure in at least some of these patients. Patients with ED may experience a 20% or greater CR, an 80% or greater objective response, and have a median overall survival of at least seven months. Extensive research is ongoing in a variety of areas. Further refinements in developing more effective chemotherapeutic regimens are likely, as is obtaining new information concerning the intensity, duration, and selection of chemotherapeutic agents and their role in relationship to radiotherapy. Improvement in radiotherapy techniques may lead to improved therapeutic results. Only recently has a reevaluation of the role of surgery in SCBC begun to take place. Also, several new areas of investigation are on the horizon, ranging from improved staging with thoracic and abdominal computed tomography to the role of warfarin, monoclonal tumor antibodies, and several currently investigational chemotherapeutic and biologic response modifier agents.