Recent advances in chemotherapy for lung cancer.

Chemotherapy has produced only modest survival benefits in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Several new chemotherapeutic agents developed in the past few years have shown promising activity in non-small cell lung cancer. It is likely that these agents, used alone or in combination, will further improve the outcome for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Chemotherapy has made a much stronger impact in small cell lung cancer, but the majority of patients still die from disease. The new chemotherapeutic agents may also contribute to improved survival of patients with small cell lung cancer, especially when used in combination with thoracic radiotherapy in those who present with limited disease.