Reinduction chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer.

Thirteen patients with small cell lung cancer responsive to chemotherapy were retreated with the same regimen at relapse, after a median off-therapy time of 30 weeks. Fifty per cent responded to reinduction; two out of six patients who had complete response to first chemotherapy obtained complete response again at reinduction. Median survival time from start of any therapy was 94 weeks. When induction chemotherapy has been effective and of short duration, the same chemotherapy can be attempted again with success at relapse and it may affect survival of relapsing small cell lung cancer patients.