Adjuvant Chemotherapy after Surgical Resection  for Small-Cell Carcinoma of Lung.

Kim, Hak Ryul; Jung, Jong Hoon; Kim, Hwi Jung; Yang, Sei Hoon; Jeong, Eun Taik

doi:2004.57.5.443

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 57(5); 2004 > Article

Original Article

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2004;57(5):443-448.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2004.57.5.443 Published online November 1, 2004.

Adjuvant Chemotherapy after Surgical Resection for Small-Cell Carcinoma of Lung.

Hak Ryul Kim, Jong Hoon Jung, Hwi Jung Kim, Sei Hoon Yang, Eun Taik Jeong

Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea. jetpul@wonkwang.ac.kr

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Small-cell carcinoma of lung has a tendency of rapid growth and early wide metastasis. In spite of high response rate of combination chemotherapy alone or with radiotherapy, overall long-term survival rate is very disappointed. According to autopsy findings, the common cause of failure is local recurrence in primary cancer site. So, surgical resection with combined chemotherapy has been recently attempted for very early stage of small-cell carcinoma of lung. METHODS: 10 patients (TNM I: & II: 5 cases) undergoing surgical resection for small-cell carcinoma of lung with adjuvant chemotherapy in an attempt to prolong survival. Of these, 9 patients received chemotherapy, and retrospective study was undertaken for survival (Kaplan-Meier analysis). RESULTS: Median survival time was 26 months, 2-, 5-year survival rate was 68.6%, 46.7%. If 1 patient without chemotherapy was excluded, 2-, 5-year survival rate was 76.2%, 50.8%. No survival difference was seen between patients with TNM I, II stages. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical resection results in prolonged survival for patients with TNM stage I, II small-cell carcinoma of lung.

Key Words: Small-cell lung carcinoma, Operation, Chemotherapy, Survival