Redevelopment of small-cell lung cancer nine years after the start of therapy. A case report and review of the literature

Am J Clin Oncol. 1991 Aug;14(4):322-7. doi: 10.1097/00000421-199108000-00010.

Abstract

Most patients with small-cell lung cancer usually relapse within 1 to 2 years. Relapses after a 5-year disease-free interval occur extremely rarely. This report describes a patient with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer who had achieved a complete response to combination chemotherapy followed by chest irradiation but developed small-cell lung cancer 9.4 years after the beginning of therapy. Small-cell lung cancer recurred in the same side of the lung, in the mediastinal nodes, and in the liver. The pattern of development of small-cell lung cancer suggests that the patient had a relapse rather than a metachronous lung cancer. To our knowledge, this is the second-latest relapse of small-cell lung cancer in the literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / diagnostic imaging*
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / therapy
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Cyclophosphamide / administration & dosage
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung Neoplasms / mortality
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
  • Nimustine / administration & dosage
  • Procarbazine / administration & dosage
  • Radiography
  • Radiotherapy / standards
  • Survival Rate
  • Vincristine / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Nimustine
  • Procarbazine
  • Vincristine
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclophosphamide

Supplementary concepts

  • CAV protocol