Full chemotherapy in elderly patients with small cell bronchial carcinoma

Data on small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in elderly patients with full chemotherapy are sparse. We present material of 345 patients treated with chemotherapy (CT) with no age limits. CT was given with 2 different types of 4-drug combinations, including cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, methotrexate, lomustine and etoposide. Radiotherapy 40 Gy was given to 85% of the limited disease (LD) and 15% of the extensive disease (ED) patients. In 345 consecutive SCLC patients (50% LD and 50% ED) with a median survival time (MST) of 10 months and a disease-free 5-year survival 3.8%. Multivariate analysis showed clear correlation between stage of disease and survival as well as between age and survival though less pronounced. One hundred and ten patients were > 70 years of age with a median survival time of 7.4 months (LD 12.3 and ED 4.6) and 235 patients < 70 years of age had a median survival time of 10.9 months (LD 14.4 and ED 7.5) and a disease-free 5-year survival of 5.1%. The survival differences were statistically significant. Treatment toxicity was higher in patients > 70 years of age. Seventy-seven patients 70-75 years of age had an MST of 9.5 months (LD 13.2 and ED 6.2) and a disease-free 5-year survival of 1.3%. The survival differences between patients 70-75 years old and those < 70 years of age were small but statistically significant in LD at 5% level but not in ED. There were more septicemias per courses CT given in all patients 70-75 years of age and also more lethal septicemias in ED patients. Patients with LD SCLC 70-75 years of age might benefit from full treatment in terms of median and long-term survival.