OBJECTIVETo compare the effectiveness and safety of different treatment modes for limited-stage small cell lung cancer(SCLC).

METHODSThe clinical data of 171 SCLC patients who had received different therapies were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSOf these 171 patients,55 had received concurrent radiochemotherapy,66 received sequential radiochemotherapy,and 50 received chemotherapy alone. For these 171 patients,the overall response rate(ORR)was 73.1%,overall survival(OS)and progression-free survival(PFS)were 23.5 months and 15.2 months,respectively,and the 1-,3-,and 5-year survival rates were 76.2%,30.4%,and 16.3%,respectively. For the concurrent group,sequential group,chemotherapy alone group,the median OS were 30.6,23.1,and 19.1 months,the median PFS were 19.7,13.3,and 11.5 months,and the 5-year survival rate was 28.7%,13.6%,and 9.4%,respectively(all P<0.05). The main toxic effects were myelosuppression,radiation pneumonia,and radiation esophagitis. The incidences of 1-2 grade myelosuppression were 92.7%,89.4%,and 92% in the concurrent group,sequential group,and chemotherapy alone group(P=0.25). For concurrent group and sequential group,the incidence of 1 grade radiation pneumonia were 47.2% and 50%,respectively(P=0.61),whereas the incidence of 1-2 grade radiation esophagitis were 94.5% and 75.8%(P=0.02). Multivariate analysis showed that gender,ECOG score,TNM stage,and thoracic radiation therapy were the independent prognostic factors for SCLC.

CONCLUSIONConcurrent radiochemotherapy is the treatment of choice for SCLC patients because it can improve the survival with tolerable toxicities.