Lung cancer: a review of current therapeutic modalities

Abstract

This article describes the current approach to the systematic management of both small cell and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The treatment of stages I, II, and IIIa NSCLC is surgical resection. Although adjuvant chemotherapy in stage I disease offers no survival benefit, the role of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage II and IIIa NSCLC remains controversial. Results of pilot studies using neoadjuvant chemotherapy in stage IIIa NSCLC are encouraging and data from ongoing randomized trials are awaited with interest. For locally advanced NSCLC, chest irradiation remains the standard of care. However, the addition of systemic chemotherapy holds promise. The impact of cisplatin-based regimens on overall survival in stage IV NSCLC remains disappointing. The introduction of newer agents, such as 7-ethyl-10-[4-(1-piperidino)-1-piperidino] carbonyloxycamptothecin (CPT-11), a topoisomerase-I inhibitor, has shown early favorable results. Chemotherapy is the most important therapeutic modality in the management of small cell lung cancer because of this cancer's propensity for early dissemination. In limited stage small cell lung cancer, chest radiotherapy, particularly if used early and concurrently with chemotherapy, may improve survival, but at the expense of increased toxicity. The role of prophylactic brain irradiation remains controversial in limited-stage disease. Chemotherapy is also the most important treatment modality in extensive-stage disease, but its role is only palliative. Radiotherapy is reserved primarily for disease-related complications in patients in whom chemotherapy has failed.