A Study on Histological Subclassification of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Lung

Abstract

Out of 479 cases of primary lung cancer seen during the period from April 1959 until December 1976, 56 cases were small cell carcinomas. Eighteen of 56 cases were oat cell type and 38 of 56 cases were intermediate cell type. Distant metastases were seen more frequently in oat cell type than in intermediate cell type. Roentgenologically oat cell type revealed infiltrating mass, whereas intermediate cell type revealed expanding mass. In oat cell type, better survival was obtained by a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy than by radiotherapy alone.