["State-of-the-art" chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer]

A combination of etoposide and cisplatin (EP) is the current standard chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). A combined modality-treatment of EP and thoracic irradiation has been established as the standard therapy for limited disease (LD)-SCLC. To improve further the results of treatment for SCLC, it is necessary to reconsider a new non-cross resistant alternating chemotherapy including promising new agents in LD-SCLC. A new maintenance chemotherapy with new agents should also be studied again. In extensive disease (ED)-SCLC, there were few long-term survivors in spite of aggressive chemotherapy. It is important to develop a new combination chemotherapy including new agents (irinotecan, topotecan, paclitaxel, docetaxel, and gemcitabine).