Small cell lung cancer: The Wildford Hall experience

The records of 123 patients with small cell lung cancer treated at a large Air Force referral hospital between 1980 and 1984 have been reviewed for features at presentation, treatments used, and survival. One-third of the patient population presented with limited stage disease. Despite aggressive treatment with both combination chemotherapy and local and whole brain irradiation in the majority of patients, 94% have suffered relapses, and 91% of the original population have died. While the overall median survival for the group was 38.0 weeks, a significant improvement in survival for those originally presenting with limited disease was noted.