[Response rate of small cell lung cancer treated with CE-CAP alternating chemotherapy]

From Sep. 1989 to Dec. 1992, 122 evaluable patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) treated with chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy in our hospital were analysed. There were 95 men and 27 women. The age ranged from 20 to 70 years. All were proven by pathology or cytology. They all did not receive previous treatment and had a measurable mass. Of them, 83 patients had limited disease (LD) and 39 extensive disease (ED). Using CE-CAP alternating chemotherapy, 48 LD and 27 ED were given two cycles, 35 LD and 12 ED four cycles. In this series, remission time was not evaluated because all patients received radiotherapy shortly after chemotherapy. Of 122 patients, 10 patients (8.2%) achieved CR, 89 (72.9%) PR, 18 (14.7%) S and 5 (4%) P. The total response rate was 81.1% (99/122), which is higher than that of COMVP and PE-CAV regimens. The response rates were 80.0% and 82.9% in two and four cycle groups, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups. The main toxicity observed was nausea, vomiting and bone marrow suppression, but were tolerated by the patients. In conclusion, CE-CAP regimen can be recommended as the treatment of choice in SCLC.