BACKGROUNDTo evaluate therapeutic outcome of limited stage small cell lung cancer treated with chemotherapy alone or combined with radiation therapy with different doses.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed in 128 limited-stage small cell lung cancer patients who were treated with three different ways of treatment, from February 1988 to March 1998 in Heilongjiang Cancer Hospital. All patients were pathologically proved. Forty-two patients received chemotherapy alone (C), 48 patients were treated by interdigitating chemoradiotherapy (IDG) and other 38 patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CON). For thoracic radiation, 20 patients received a dose of ≤45 Gy, 23 ≥60 Gy, and 43 > 45 Gy but < 60 Gy .

RESULTSThe 3-year survival rates were 23.7%, 20.8% and 4.8% in the CON, the IDG and the C groups respectively. There was a significant difference between the CON and the C groups ( P < 0.05), as well as between the IDG and the C groups ( P < 0.05). There was no remarkable difference between the CON and the IDG groups ( P > 0.05). Loco-regional recurrence rate was significantly higher in ≤45 Gy group (55.0%) than that in ≥60 Gy group (8.7%)( P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe chemotherapy combined radiotherapy may improve the survival of patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer. Dose of thoracic radiation might be related to the loco-regional recurrence.