局限期小细胞肺癌不同治疗手段疗效与胃泌素释放肽前体及神经元特异性烯醇化酶水平的相关性研究

 目的　探讨不同治疗手段的局限期小细胞肺癌（SCLC）患者分别进行治疗前后血清胃泌素释放肽前体（ProGRP）和神经元特异性烯醇化酶（NSE）水平变化,并评价治疗效果与标志物血清水平的相关性。方法　将150例局限期SCLC患者随机分为3个治疗组,即同步放化疗组、序贯放化疗组、单纯化疗组;应用酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）、电化学发光法对3组患者治疗前后ProGRP和NSE水平进行联合检测,并进行数据整理和分析。随访期为1年。结果　3组患者ProGRP及NSE在治疗结束后均明显下降;其ProGRP与NSE的下降幅度依次为同步放化疗组、序贯放化疗组、单纯化疗组（318.96、250.77、226.18 pg／ml及31.72、23.95、17.89 μg／L）;三组按近期疗效好排序,依次为同步放化疗组、序贯放化疗组、单纯化疗组;同步放化疗组明显优于单纯化疗组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。在各组中,治疗有效的患者ProGRP与NSE的下降幅度明显大于治疗无效的患者;病情进展时,相应ProGRP与NSE上升,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论　ProGRP和NSE水平可反映出局限期SCLC患者的病情变化并可评估疗效;同步放化疗优于序贯放化疗和单纯化疗。     

诱导化疗无效的局限期小细胞肺癌可能不宜原方案同期放化疗

背景与目的小细胞肺癌（small cell lung cancer, SCLC）具有高度化疗敏感性,耐药患者不足15%,本研究拟通过回顾性分析诱导化疗无效的局限期SCLC患者放化疗次序和放疗时机与无进展生存期（progression-free survival, PFS）及总体生存（overall survival, OS）的相关性,以探索同期放化疗是否优于序贯放化疗。方法收集2009年1月-2014年12月初治的67例诱导化疗无效的局限期SCLC,分为同期放化疗组32例与序贯放化疗组35例。94%患者临床分期为III期,6%患者为Ib期-IIb期。25例行脑预防性照射（prophylactic cranial irradiation, PCI）。Kaplan-Meier法计算生存率并Log-rank法检验,组间分类数据行卡方检验。结果全组2年OS、PFS及局部控制（local control rate, LCR）分别为53.7%、20.9%和58.2%。同期放化疗组与序贯放化疗组2年OS分别为37.5%和54.3%（P=0.048）、2年PFS分别为12.5%与28.6%（P=0.149）。同期放化疗组中,13例患者（40.6%）同步化疗方案改为二线化疗方案,19例患者仍为EP或EC方案,二者2年OS分别为53.8%与26.3%（P=0.741）。同期放化疗组血液学毒性反应多于序贯放化疗组（P=0.031）、3级放射性食管炎、放射性肺炎及胃肠道反应有增多的趋势（9.4%vs 0,P=0.176;12.5%vs 2.9%,P=0.318;12.5%vs 2.9%,P=0.109）。PCI与否2年OS分别为56.0%和38.1%（P=0.029）、PFS分别为24%和19%（P=0.012）。结论诱导化疗无效的局限期SCLC可能不宜继续原方案同期放化疗,可以换用二线方案或者进行单纯放疗,由于是回顾性小样本研究,此结论还需进一步的大样本前瞻性研究证实。     

同步放化疗及序贯放化疗治疗非小细胞肺癌脑转移的疗效及生存质量分析

目的:探究非小细胞肺癌（NSCLC）合并脑转移的患者分别接受同步放化疗和序贯放化疗的近期临床疗效及2年内生存质量的差别。方法:对我院收治的60例非小细胞肺癌合并脑转移患者资料进行统计分析，接受同步放化疗33例，接受序贯放化疗27例。比较两组近期疗效、中位生存时间、不良反应和无疾病进展生存期（PFS）。结果:同步放化疗组与序贯放化疗组患者治疗总有效率分别为79%、56%，差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）；同步放化疗组中位生存时间和PFS均优于序贯放化疗组（P＜0.05）；同步放化疗组的不良反应发生率高于序贯放化疗组，但两者差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。结论:与序贯放化疗相比，同步放化疗可显著提高非小细胞肺癌合并脑转移患者的近期疗效，延长生存期且不会更多地影响患者生存质量。     

同步放化疗与序贯放化疗治疗中晚期子宫颈癌的疗效观察

 目的 比较同步放化疗与序贯放化疗治疗中晚期子宫颈癌的疗效和不良反应。方法 回顾性分析我院收治的90例中晚期子宫颈癌患者,根据不同化疗方式分为同步放化疗组47例和序贯放化疗组43例,比较两组患者疗效及不良反应。结果 同步放化疗组和序贯放化疗组总有效率分别为91.5%（43/47）和86.1%（37/43）,两组比较差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。同步放化疗组患者1年、1年生存率分别为74.5%、48.9%,序贯放化疗组分别为46.5%、23.3%（P＜0.05）。同步放化疗组的白细胞、中性粒细胞以及血小板减少等血液毒性发生率与序贯放化疗组比较差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）,同步放化疗组患者直肠反应、骨髓抑制和膀胱副反应等发生率高于序贯放化疗组（P＜0.05）。结论 同步放化疗治疗中晚期子宫颈癌与序贯放化疗治疗的近期疗效相近,前者可提高患者远期生存率,但不良反应发生率较高,经对症处理后患者均可耐受。     

立体定向放射治疗早期小细胞肺癌研究进展

小细胞肺癌（SCLC）是一种低分化、高侵袭、放化疗敏感的恶性肿瘤。研究发现,接受立体定向放疗（SBRT）的早期SCLC患者,总生存和疾病特异性生存与外科手术及传统同步放化疗接近,且局部控制率高,患者耐受好。SBRT近年来已成为临床I-IIA期SCLC的标准治疗选择之一。鉴于SBRT在SCLC治疗地位的提升,本文将回顾迄今为止的相关临床研究,探讨SBRT在早期SCLC中的应用现状、临床价值及发展趋势。     

局部晚期胃癌放化疗不同联合方式及放化疗转化手术治疗的疗效分析

目的:观察分析不能手术局部晚期胃癌放化疗联合的临床疗效及转化治疗疗效,对比不同放化疗联合模式的疗效差异。 方法:回顾性分析2010年06月至2020年06月于我院收治的不能手术的局部晚期胃癌患者75例,其中同步放化疗组33例,序贯放化疗（化疗－放疗－化疗）组42例,观察放化疗联合的临床疗效及转化治疗成功率,对比分析两种治疗方式的临床效果。结果:客观有效率（ORR）53.3%,疾病控制率（DCR）85.3%,转化手术切除率30.7%;同步放化疗组与序贯放化疗组的ORR分别为66.7%和42.9%,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;同步放化疗组转化手术成功率优于序贯放化疗组（36.4% vs 26.2%）,但差异没有统计学意义（P＞0.05）;未手术患者中位生存时间（MST）为14.3个月,1、2年生存率分别为63.5%,15.4%,同步放化疗组生存优于序贯放化疗组,但差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）;转化手术成功的患者中,R0切除的生存明显优于行R1/R2切除患者（P＜0.05）。结论:对于初始不能手术的局部晚期胃癌,联合放化疗是有效的治疗手段,同步放化疗较序贯放化疗明显提高了客观有效率,有提高转化手术切除率的趋势。     

同步放化疗对不能手术局部晚期胃癌的疗效

目的:观察同步放化疗对不能手术的局部胃癌晚期（Ⅱ-Ⅲc）患者的近期疗效。方法:将55例不能手术的局部晚期胃癌患者随机分为2组,28例进行同步放化疗治疗,先行XELOX方案化疗1周期,于2周期化疗第2天同时进行适形放疗,并按化疗周期进行3、4周期XELOX方案治疗。27例患者进行4周期XELOX方案化疗。结果:无进展生存期（PFS）:同步放化疗组为7.11个月,化疗组为5.13个月 (P＜0.05);一年生存率同步放化疗组60%高于化疗组51%,两者比较,无统计学意义(P＞0.05);肿瘤客观缓解率（ORR）同步放化疗组67.8%,化疗组40.7%（P＜0.05）;患者卡氏评分两组治疗前后均无统计学意义(P＞0.05)。结论:同步放化疗可以提高不能手术局部晚期胃癌患者近期疗效。     

KLF6、p21表达与中晚期宫颈癌同步放化疗敏感性的关系

目的:探讨Kruppel样因子6（KLF6）、p21蛋白表达与中晚期（Ⅱb-Ⅲb）宫颈癌同步放化疗敏感性的关系。方法:选取108例Ⅱb-Ⅲb期宫颈癌患者作为受试对象,均行同步放化疗,根据病变好转情况分为放化疗敏感组81例和放化疗不敏感组27例。用免疫组织化学法检测所有受试者组织中KLF6、p21蛋白水平,分析二者表达与Ⅱb-Ⅲb期宫颈癌患者同步放化疗敏感性及3年总生存率（OS）的关系。结果:放化疗敏感组与不敏感组患者的肿瘤分化程度、肿瘤大小差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;两组患者年龄、FIGO分期、淋巴结转移及化疗方案差异均无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。KLF6蛋白低表达患者同步放化疗总有效率明显低于高表达患者（P＜0.05）,p21蛋白低表达患者总有效率显著高于高表达患者（P＜0.05）。KLF6、p21蛋白表达与Ⅱb-Ⅲb期宫颈癌患者FIGO分期、肿瘤分化程度、肿瘤大小及放化疗敏感性有关（P＜0.05）。KLF6低表达患者OS明显低于高表达患者（P＜0.05）;p21高表达患者OS显著低于低表达患者（P＜0.05）。多因素分析显示KLF6、p21表达是影响患者预后的独立危险因素（P＜0.05）。结论:KLF6高表达、p21低表达的Ⅱb-Ⅲb期宫颈癌患者同步放化疗敏感性强,其放化疗总有效率及3年OS均较高,可作为预后判断的依据。     

中晚期食管癌同步放化疗与序贯性放化疗疗效对比

目的:分析中晚期食管癌行同步放化疗与序贯性放化疗的临床疗效。方法:以171例2008年5月至2012年5月连云港市第二人民医院病理诊断为中晚期食管癌的患者为研究对象,将患者随机分为2组,同步放化疗组和序贯放化疗组,两组均采用2Gy/次,总量 56～64Gy的三维适形放疗以及以铂类为基础的两联方案化疗。治疗结束评价并对比患者的近期疗效、生存预后以及毒副反应。结果:食管恶性肿瘤患者171例,其中同步放化疗组86例,序贯放化疗组85例,近期疗效的比较,差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）;1、2、3 年生存率经 Logrank 检验,两组生存率有显著性差异（P=0.000）,同步放化疗1、2、3年的生存率显著高于序贯放化疗。汉族组的生存率均高于少数民族组,但是同步放化疗组不同民族比较,无显著性差异（P>0.05）。汉族及少数民族患者比较,同步放化疗均优于序贯放化疗,有显著性差异(P均<0.05)。两组患者均出现不同程度放射性食管炎、血液学毒性及恶心、呕吐等反应。同步放化疗组的毒副反应发生率均高于序贯放化疗组,白细胞下降发生率、恶心、呕吐发生率比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);放射性食管炎的发生率比较,差异有统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:同步放化疗较序贯放化疗可明显提高中晚期食管癌的远期生存率,不同民族间疗效存在差异,毒副反应可耐受。     

术前同步放化疗在局部晚期宫颈癌治疗中的应用

目的:分析术前同步放化疗治疗局部晚期宫颈癌的可行性及其疗效。方法:将1995年11月～2008年12月期间,汕头大学医学院附属肿瘤医院收治的259 例宫颈肿瘤最大径>4cm的ⅠB2～ⅡB 期宫颈癌患者分为3 组,其中术前同步放化疗组（A组）64例,术前单纯放疗组（B 组）73例,直接手术组（C 组）122 例,对比A 组和B 组术前放化疗或放疗后宫颈肿块消退情况、不良反应,以及A 组、B 组和C 组3 组术后病理分析宫颈浸润、宫旁浸润、阴道浸润、脉管浸润、淋巴结转移情况及患者生存情况分析。结果:宫颈肿块体积术前同步放化疗组术前放化疗后较术前单纯放疗组术前放疗后明显缩小,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;术前同步放化疗组骨髓抑制及胃肠道反应与术前单纯放疗组比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。 术后病理分析显示术前同步放化疗组宫颈浸润明显少于术前单纯放疗组及直接手术组,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;脉管浸润术前同步放化疗组明显少于术前单纯放疗组及直接手术组,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;但宫旁浸润、阴道残端浸润及盆腔淋巴结转移的发生率各组比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）;生存情况分析3 组1、3、5 年生存率无统计学意义（P>0.05）。 结论:局部晚期宫颈癌患者术前行同步放化疗其疗效肯定,且安全可行,值得进一步研究。      

叶酸受体阳性循环肿瘤细胞在小细胞肺癌诊断及疗效评估中的价值

目的:分析叶酸受体阳性循环肿瘤细胞（FR +-CTC）在小细胞肺癌（SCLC）诊断及疗效评估中的价值。 方法:回顾性分析2017年5月至2019年10月中日友好医院收治的59例SCLC患者及14例肺部良性疾病患者资料,采用叶酸受体靶向检测技术检测患者血液中FR +-CTC水平,化学发光...     

血清同型半胱氨酸和血清胱抑素C水平与化疗疗效的相关性研究

  目的  探讨血清同型半胱氨酸（homocysteine,Hcy）、血清胱抑素C（cysatin C,Cys-C）在小细胞肺癌（small cell lung cancer,SCLC）外周血中的水平及与化疗疗效的相关性。  方法  选取2018年1月至2020年12月于陕西中医药大学附属医院治疗的无法手术的SCLC患者67例（观察组）及同期体检者60例（对照组）。观察组患者局限期26例,广泛期41例,分别于化疗前及依托泊苷联合铂类2周期化疗后,清晨空腹抽取静脉血,检测Hcy、Cys-C水平,并进行分析。  结果  观察组患者外周血Hcy水平显著高于对照组（P<0.05）,而观察组与对照组Cys-C差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）;局限期与广泛期Hcy、Cys-c水平差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）;局限期、广泛期分别与对照组相比,Hcy值均显著升高（均P<0.05）,而Cys-C差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）;有效组患者化疗后Hcy、Cys-C水平较化疗前均显著下降（均P<0.05）,无效组患者化疗后Hcy、Cys-C水平较化疗前差异无统计学意义（均P>0.05）。  结论  Hcy与SCLC的发生呈正相关,血清Hcy、Cys-C联合检测,可以评估SCLC患者化疗疗效,观察患者病情动态变化。      

Serum pro-gastrin-releasing peptide is a useful marker for treatment monitoring and survival in small-cell lung cancer.

We investigated the usefulness of serum pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (Pro-GRP) as a tumor marker for diagnosis, treatment monitoring and the prediction of relapse and prognosis in patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Serum samples were obtained from 127 patients with primary lung cancer (48 patients with small-cell carcinoma, 31 with adenocarcinoma, 36 with squamous cell carcinoma and 11 with large-cell carcinoma). The cutoff levels of serum Pro-GRP and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were set at 46 pg/ml and 10 ng/ml, respectively. The specificity of Pro-GRP was significantly higher than that of NSE (Pro-GRP: 93.7%, NSE: 65.8%, p < 0.01). According to the histological type of lung cancer, the positive rates of Pro-GRP were 75% (36/48) in the small-cell carcinomas, 9.7% (3/31) in the adenocarcinomas, 5.6% (2/36) in the squamous cell carcinomas and 0% (0/10) in the large cell carcinomas. The median levels of Pro-GRP in limited disease (LD) and extensive disease (ED) patients were 199 and 295.5 pg/ml, whereas those of NSE were 14.8 and 29.3 ng/ml, respectively. The positive rates of Pro-GRP in LD and ED patients were 80.0% (16/20) and 71.4% (20/28), whereas those of NSE were 70.0% (14/20) and 89.3% (25/28), respectively. The positive rate of NSE tended to elevate with the progression of disease, whereas that of Pro-GRP was already high at an early stage. Among the 29 patients with SCLC who could be followed, the serum Pro-GRP levels of 18 responders were significantly decreased after treatment (p < 0.01), whereas those of the 11 nonresponders were not significantly different between before and after treatment (p = 0.72). In the 9 patients with SCLC who relapsed, the serum Pro-GRP levels were again elevated at the time of relapse. Seventeen patients whose ratio of the Pro-GRP level after treatment to the level before treatment was below 50% (taking the levels before treatment as 100%) survived significantly longer than did the patients whose ratio was over 50% (p < 0.01). The results of the present study suggest that serum Pro-GRP has high specificity and could be a useful marker of SCLC for treatment monitoring and prognosis.     

The Role of Integrated 18F-FDG PET-CT as a Staging Tool for Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Retrospective Study

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) could be used as part of the staging work-up in patients with limited-stage disease (LD) small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Patients and Methods: Between January 2002 and December 2007, a total of 73 patients with presumed LD on CT, who underwent a PET-CT scan, were included in this study. Results: Conventional work-up revealed distant metastases in 12 patients. Out of 61 patients diagnosed as LD SCLC, PET-CT found unexpected distant metastases in 15 (24.6%) patients (LD/extensive-stage disease (ED)) of whom 13 (21.3%) were upstaged as a consequence. In 10 (76.9%) of the 13 upstaged patients, treatment was changed. The median survival of LD/LD SCLC patients who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy and chemotherapy only was 21.9 and 17.5 months, respectively. The median survival of LD/ED and ED/ED SCLC patients who received chemotherapy only was 17.4 and 14.1 months, respectively. The median survival of LD/LD SCLC patients who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy was superior to that of LD/ ED and ED/ED patients who received chemotherapy only (p = 0.037 and 0.004, respectively). Conclusion: The addition of PET-CT seems to allow more accurate staging and may thus protect a percentage of SCLC patients from potentially futile and toxic radiotherapy.     

Significance of serum pro-gastrin-releasing peptide as a predictor of relapse of small cell lung cancer: comparative evaluation with neuron-specific enolase and carcinoembryonic antigen

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) have been reported to be useful markers for staging, monitoring treatment, and predicting relapse in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Recently, pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (Pro-GRP) became available as a sensitive, specific, and reliable tumor marker for patients with SCLC. The aim of this study is to determine the most useful tumor marker to detect the relapse of SCLC. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between tumor markers at relapse and survival from relapse or response to salvage chemotherapy. Medical records were reviewed to obtain serum levels of Pro-GRP, NSE, and CEA before and after the initial chemotherapy, and at relapse. Consecutive 66 patients with SCLC, with an objective response and confirmed relapse treated at the National Cancer Center Hospital East, were analyzed in this study. The percentages of patients whose tumor marker level were elevated before treatment, decreased after the treatment, and increased again at relapse were 67% (95% CI, 55-78) for Pro-GRP, 20% (10-29) for NSE, and 38% (26-50) for CEA. Multivariate analysis indicated that poor performance status before initial treatment and elevated serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase at relapse were poor prognostic factors for patients with recurrent SCLC (P<0.005). None of the serum levels of Pro-GRP, NSE, and CEA at relapse was a significant prognostic factor and associated with an objective response to salvage chemotherapy. The present study demonstrated that serum levels of Pro-GRP reflect the disease course of patients with SCLC most accurately.     

小细胞肺癌血清ProGRP（31—98）与神经元性烯醇化酶同步检测的临床价值及其相关性

目的探讨小细胞肺癌（SCLC）患者血清神经元性烯醇化酶（NSE）与ProGRP（31-98）水平同步检测的临床价值及其相关性。方法采用酶联免疫吸附法（ELISA）对159例SCLC患者、97例肺部良性疾病患者、100名健康人进行血中ProGRP（31—98）与NSE水平的检测。结果SCLC治疗前NSE与ProGRP（31—98）的中位值分别为21．33μg／L和323．70pg／ml,肺部良性疾病分别为4．24μg／L和11．94Pg／ml,健康人分别为5．82μg／L和8．54Pg／ml,3组间比较差异均有统计学意义（均P〈0．001）;以NSE10．35ng／L和ProGRP（31-98）47．98Pg／ml为界值,敏感度分别为71．1％和88．7％,特异度分别为95．5％和96．9％,两项联合检测的敏感度和特异度分别为95．6％和96．8％。SCLC局限期和广泛期NSE中位值分别为14．75μg／L和34．10μg／L,敏感度分别为51．14％和93．44％,ProGRP（31—98）中位值分别为143．14Pg／ml和1061．14Pg／ml,敏感度分别为80．61％和98．61％。治疗后缓解和部分缓解的患者两项血清水平较治疗前明显下降,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．001）,未缓解和进展期的患者治疗前后无明显变化。SCLC患者NSE和ProGRP（31-98）血清水平的检测有显著相关性（r=0．379,P〈0．01）。结论NSE和ProGRP（31—98）血清水平有明显的相关性,作为SCLC治疗前诊断和疗效观察均有一定的指导意义,但ProGRP（31．98）,特别是对早期SCLC的诊断有更好的敏感性和准确度,两项联合可进一步提高检测的阳性率和有效性。     

Neuroendocrine and cytokeratin serum markers as prognostic determinants of small cell lung cancer

This retrospective study aimed at determining the prognostic significance of neuroendocrine markers chromogranin A (CgA), pro-gastrin releasing peptide (ProGRP) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE), together with the cytokeratin 19 marker CYFRA 21-1 in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). A total of 148 histologically proven and previously untreated SCLC patients were included. Among them 118 patients received a cisplatin-etoposide combination or cisplatin-etoposide-cyclophosphamide-4'-epidoxorubicin combination. All tumour markers were tested using immunoradiometric assays except for ProGRP which was tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The thresholds for marker serum titrations were 53 pg/ml, 65, 17, and 3.6 ng/ml for ProGRP, CgA, NSE and CYFRA 21-1 respectively. Univariate analysis showed that patients affected by one of the following characteristics proved to have a significant shorter survival in comparison with the opposite status of each variable: age over 63 years, extensive-stage, serum LDH level higher than 600 U/l, serum NSE level higher than 17 ng/ml, serum CgA level higher than 65 ng/ml and serum CYFRA 21-1 level higher than 3.6 ng/ml. In addition, there was a trend towards a statistical significance for a high serum alkaline phosphatase level and a performance status equal to or worse than two. The following variables were independent determinants of a poor outcome: a poor performance status (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.51 [1.02-2.22]), a high CgA level (HR: 1.61 [1.06-2.45]), a high CYFRA 21-1 level (HR: 2.10 [1.40-3.14]) and an age older than 63 years (HR: 1.68 [1.14-2.48]). When the multivariate analysis was restricted to patients receiving a cisplatin-etoposide-based chemotherapy, the same variables were prognostic determinants with nearly similar hazard ratios. In conclusion, aside classical variables such as age and performance status, high serum CYFRA 21-1 and high serum CgA level in SCLC are both prognostic determinants of prognosis, in particular in patients receiving conventional chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin and etoposide-based combinations.     

Positron emission tomography in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer: a prospective study.

PURPOSE: To determine how often positron emission tomography with [(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG-PET) detects extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) in patients considered to have limited-stage disease based on conventional staging procedures, and to determine the impact of PET on treatment planning for presumed limited-stage SCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively performed pretreatment FDG-PET on 24 patients determined by conventional staging methods to have limited-stage SCLC (defined as disease that could be encompassed within a reasonable radiotherapy portal, excluding bilateral supraclavicular disease). PET images were evaluated for evidence of extensive-stage disease. Tumor-node-metastasis system staging was also assigned for each patient, with and without PET information. RESULTS: FDG-PET demonstrated findings consistent with extensive-stage SCLC in three of 24 patients. FDG-PET correctly upstaged two (8.3%) of 24 patients to extensive-stage disease (95% CI, 1.03% to 27.0%). PET correctly identified tumor in each SCLC mass (primary or nodal) that was suspected on computed tomography (CT) imaging, thus giving a lesion-based sensitivity relative to CT of 100%. PET identified unsuspected regional nodal metastasis in six (25%) of 24 patients, and the radiation therapy plan was significantly altered to include the PET-positive/CT-negative nodes within the high-dose region in each of these patients. Brain PET images in 23 patients disclosed no evidence of brain metastasis. CONCLUSION: FDG-PET has high sensitivity for SCLC and appears to be of value for initial staging and treatment planning of patients with presumed limited-stage disease.     

Potential utility of serum neuron-specific enolase levels in small cell carcinoma of the lung

To assess the value of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) as a possible biomarker of small cell lung cancer, serum levels were determined by radioimmunoassay in 93 newly diagnosed untreated patients and were compared to the NSE levels of 20 healthy adult controls [9.6 +/- 0.7 (S.E.) ng/ml]. Serum NSE was elevated (greater than 20 ng/ml) in 73% of all patients including 23 of 39 (59%) with limited-stage disease and 45 of 54 (83%) with extensive-stage disease. The mean serum NSE was significantly higher in extensive-stage disease (94.5 +/- 13.8 ng/ml) compared to the mean value for limited-stage disease (33.7 +/- 4.7 ng/ml) (p less than 0.001). NSE was elevated in all patients with three or more sites of metastatic disease. Serial NSE determinations were obtained on 57 small cell lung cancer patients. NSE levels fell in 40 of 50 (80%) of patients responding to treatment, increased in 5 of 7 (71%) of patients with progressive disease, and increased in 30 of 35 (86%) of patients who relapsed. A persistent rise in serum NSE occurred as many as 12 weeks before the clinical recognition of relapse in 15 of 23 (65%) of patients for whom adequate serial NSE data were available. These findings indicate that serum NSE may be a useful marker for staging, monitoring treatment, and predicting relapse in patients with small cell lung cancer.     

Management of small cell lung cancer

Opinion statement Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive type of lung cancer characterized by rapid growth and early metastasis. It is chemosensitive and radiosensitive, yet decades of research investigating multimodality treatments have failed to control or cure this disease in most patients. First-line treatment of limited-stage disease consists of chemotherapy (often etoposide/cisplatin or etoposide/carboplatin) combined with thoracic radiation therapy (TRT), followed by prophylactic cranial irradiation to decrease brain metastases as a site of disease progression for those who experience complete remission or a very good partial response to multimodality treatment. In a Japanese trial, the combination of irinotecan and cisplatin had initially shown promise in treating patients with extensive-stage SCLC, but a confirmatory trial in the United States did not find a difference in overall survival with irinotecan/cisplatin versus etoposide/cisplatin. Adding a third drug to the etoposide/cisplatin combination, as well as other triplet therapies, has mostly been ineffective in improving outcomes. Variables in chemotherapy administration, including maintenance therapy, alternating non-cross-resistance regimens, and dose intensification, have not been shown to increase survival at large. In terms of radiation therapy, early administration of TRT concurrent with chemotherapy, and hyperfractionation, have been beneficial in treatment of limited-stage disease. In patients who relapse, second-line therapy options consist of reinduction of previous chemotherapy or administration of a single agent. Targeted biological therapies for SCLC are now being investigated, and although a great deal of research remains to be done, these agents and their derivatives may provide the most hope for future treatment of SCLC.