Long‐term survival in limited‐stage small cell lung carcinoma: Experience in Rochester, New York from 1975 to 1981

All patients with limited-stage small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) diagnosed between January 1975 and 1981 in Rochester, New York, were collected. One hundred one patients were evaluable. By reviewing an entire community' s experience with long follow-up, we were able to describe the response rates and survival in a large unselected population and compare them to results from concurrent cooperative group studies. Median survival for the entire group was 51 weeks, with only 18% alive at 130 weeks. There was no evidence for improvement in response or survival during the 6 years of study. Treatment results in the community as a whole were no different from that seen with cooperative group studies. A group who had initial surgery followed by adjuvant therapy had a significantly better survival and more long-term survivors than those not receiving surgery, but rare long-term survivors were seen with all treatment categories. Except for this small surgical subgroup, no other characteristics could be identified which were predictably associated with long-term disease-free survival. The overall poor survival of patient with localized SCLC suggests a need for the development of novel initial approaches to therapy.