Results of chemo-radiotherapy and prognostic factors of small cell lung cancer.

We studied the therapeutic results and prognostic factors in 63 cases of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) experienced in our hospital over the past eight years. In the group initially treated with combination chemotherapy using COMP-VAD, the survival period was significantly prolonged. Use of adjuvant radiotherapy from the beginning had no effect on improvement in the survival period, but the period until local recurrences tended to be prolonged. Prognostic factors influencing survival were analyzed by the log rank test and generalized Wilcoxon test and multivariate analysis by the proportional hazard model of Cox. Statistical significance using univariate analysis was found for six factors (PS, clinical stage, LDH, albumin, treatment protocols, treatment response). The strong prognostic factors determined by multivariate analysis were, in the order of importance, chemotherapy protocol, initial PS, and treatment response.