Abstract
Out of 239 lung cancer patients seen during 12 years from Apr.1959 through May 1971, twenty-eight (11.7%) were small cell anaplastic carcinoma of stage III and IV. (Fourteen patients for each stage)
It was possible to point out the biological characters of this type of tumor;rapidly growing, early metastasizing and with very high radiosensitivity.
On these bases, primary lesion was irradiated with two opposed fields, usually including hilar and mediastinal nodes.On occasions with distant metastases, these lesions were irradiated as widely as possible to alleviate their complains.Regression of tumor was excellent and followed transient remission with relatively small dose of radiation.
Both survival rate and mean survival time of small cell carcinoma were inferior to those of other histologic types.Longest survivors among 15 patients treated by radiotherapy alone, with more than 5, 000 rads, were 3 patients died 14 months after the start of radiotherapy, and the mean survival of this group was 6.7±4.6 months.
Radiotherapy combined with cytotoxic drugs would be the standard treatment of small cell carcinoma of the lung at this moment.
