Long-term survival of a patient with small cell lung cancer after nine lines of chemotherapy and radiation.

BACKGROUND

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) results in death within 1-2 months if left untreated. Although therapeutic standards only comprise first- and second-line chemotherapy due to poor prognosis, a subset of patients may warrant a trial of further chemotherapy, as demonstrated in the following case.

CASE REPORT

We present a 52-year-old man with confirmed anaplastic SCLC who survived 10 years while receiving 9 lines of chemotherapy including high-dose chemotherapy. Thoracic radiation, afterloading and radionuclide therapy supplemented the therapeutic management. Remarkably, he had two very long remission periods following topotecan.

CONCLUSION

This case indicates that frequently repeated chemotherapy beyond second-line treatment in a subset of patients with limited-disease SCLC may result in long-term survival, even without ever achieving a complete remission. Close surveillance of responsiveness and appropriate in-time cytostatic treatment is proposed in the management of patients with SCLC who remain in good performance.