Small cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung. The Aarhus experience 1976-1981

Over a 6-year period 179 patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCLC), 152 with limited disease, 25 with extensive disease, and 2 who were not staged, were treated with chest irradiation and combination chemotherapy with CCNU, adriamycin and vinblastine. For all patients the 2-year survival was 19.9 +/- 3 per cent, and the 5-year survival 11.9 +/- 3 per cent. No patients with extensive disease survived for 5 years. This type of treatment has curative potential for SCLC limited disease, which calls for further trials based on this approach.