Small cell lung cancer; comparison of 2 realities

Abstract

The Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCI C) accounts for 15 a 35% of all bronchial carcinomas. Undertaking a retrospective review we've compared cases of SCLC from the Hospital Universitario Regional do Norte do Parana and Hospital Evangelico de Londrina to cases from the Brompton Hospital of London. During the studied period, 15 patients with SCLC from Londrina were compared to 37 patients from London. We've found only 2 (13,3%) patients at stages I, II. llIa (with no lymphnode involvement), and 13 (86,7%) at lllb and IV in Londrina, compared to 30 (34.5%) and 57(65,5%), respectively, at the Brompton Hospital. Two cases (13,3%) were considered operable in Londrina (only 1 ressection) and 30 (34,5%) in London (93,3'% resectable). The treatment in Londrina was basically non-surgical (86,7%), the survival rate observed was less than 3 months in 3 (53,8%) patients, we've lost the follow up of 4 (26,7%) and 3 (19,5%) are still in observation; in London, with exclusive surgical treatment 38 patients (43,3%) presented overall 5-year survival rate. The surgical treatment of SCLC depends basically on staging. The indication of surgery in the 15 patient group was limited by the advanced stage of the disease at diagnose, differently from London. These findings show the importance of early diagnoses, as seen at the Brompton Hospital, offering the possibility of cure, a reality different from the observed in Londrina.