The effect of choice of platinum on survival and factors affecting survival in metastatic small cell lung cancer: A Single Center Experience

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In this retrospective study, we aimed to analyze the effect of choice of platinum chemotherapy (carboplatin vs. cisplatin) on survival in patients with small cell lung cancer(SCLC) and to identify the factors affecting survival. METHODS: A total of 87 metastatic SCLC patients with available data, who were equal to or greater than 18 years and were treated with platinum-based chemotherapy at first-line setting, were included. Patients were grouped according to type of platinum treatment as ‘cisplatin + etoposide(PE)' or ‘carboplatin + etoposide(CE)'. RESULTS: Of the 87 patients included in the study, 16 (%18,4) were female. The median age was 58 years. The numbers of patients treated with PE and CE were 65 and 22, respectively. The median progression-free survivals of patients treated with PE vs. CE were 6 months and 5 months, respectively (p=0.171), with corresponding overall survival (OS) durations of 9 months and 8 months (p=0.173). Performance status, administering thoracic radiotherapy and response to first-line chemotherapy were found to be the independent factors affecting OS. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In our study, first-line treatment with CE vs. PE did not affect survival in the patients with metastatic SCLC. However, the survival of patients with poor performance status was observed to be lower than those with better performance status. In addition, administering thoracic radiotherapy and a better response to first-line chemotherapy improved survival.

Keywords

• small cell lung cancer
• prognostic factors
• cisplatin
• carboplatin
• survival