Relationship Between Life Expectancy and Treatment Option for Small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

Aims.To study the life expectancy of patients with small cell lung cancer, depending on the method of treatment; to determine the efficacy of surgical component at the treatment stages of small cell lung cancer and preoperative chemotherapy Materials and methods.The study involved 852 patients with small cell lung cancer. All patients were subdivided into 3 groups. I.Untreated -155 (18.2%) patients who refused or who were denied treatment due to medical indications.II. Conservative treatment -558 (65.5%) patients who received chemoradiotherapy. III.Surgical treatment -139 (16.3%) patients, including: 1-1st subgroupsurgery (without mediastinal lymph node dissection) -in 31 (3.6%); 2-2nd subgroupsurgery (without mediastinal lymph node dissection), 4 courses of postoperative polychemotherapy and external beam radiotherapyin 81 (9.5%); 3-3rd subgroup -3-4 courses of preoperative polychemotherapy, surgery with mediastinal lymph node dissection, postoperative polychemotherapy 2-4 coursesin 27 (3.1%). Among the patients there were 809 (94.9%) men and 43 (5.1%) women. The predominating groups were patients aged: 50-59 years -249 persons (29.2%) and 60-69 years -314 patients (36.8%). The largest number of patients were in stage IIIA (299 persons, 35.1%), and a slightly smaller number of patients with stage IIIB (194 persons, 22.7%)Results.The use of surgical treatment of small cell lung cancer has a positive effect on the average life expectancy in patients of group III -26.4 months, which is longer than in group II by 19.6 and group Iby 24.2 months.The size of the primary lung tumour starts affecting the average life expectancy of patients with tumour process T1-2, and metastases to regional lymph nodeswith tumour process T2-3N1-2. Conclusions.Removal of primary malignant tumour with mediastinal lymph node dissection followed by adjuvant polychemotherapy with modern drugs has a positive effect on the survival of patients.