A Prospective Randomized Study Comparing the Target Volume for Limited-stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

Omitting Elective Nodal Irradiation and Irradiating Post-induction Versus Pre-induction Chemotherapy Tumor Extent for Limited-stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

We hypothesized that the local control for both arms were not statistically significant, when irradiation to the post-induction chemotherapy tumor volume is compared with irradiation to the pre-induction chemotherapy tumor volume.While elective nodal irradiation will be omitted for both arms.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients were eligible if they had histologic or cytologic verification of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and were radiographically confirmed limited-stage
• Patients with contralateral mediastinal and ipsilateral supraclavicular lymphadenopathy were also included.
• The patients should be between 18 and 75 years old without previous thoracic radiotherapy, chemotherapy or biotherapy.
• Karnofsky performance status was ≥ 80.
• Forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV1) ≥ 1 L.
• Had measurable or assessable disease.
• Neutrophilic granulocyte ≥ 1.5×109/L, haemoglobin ≥ 100 g/L, platelet count ≥ 100×109/L.
• Serum creatine and bilirubin < 1.5 × the upper normal limit (UNL), aminotransferase < 2 × UNL.
• Weight loss was less than 10% within 6 months before diagnosis.
• Written informed consent was required from all patients.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients were ineligible if they had a history of other malignant diseases except for non-melanomatous skin cancer and carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or any contraindications for chemoradiotherapy, malignant pleural and/or pericardial effusion.