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← Small Cell Lung Cancer

HEALTH PROFESSIONAL · SOURCE READING

PCI

Source: Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.

Source updated: May 14, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.

Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary.

Context: Treatment of Extensive-Stage SCLC / Treatment Options for Patients With Extensive-Stage SCLC / Radiation therapy

Patients with ED treated with chemotherapy who have achieved a response can be considered for administration of PCI.

Evidence (PCI):

A randomized trial of 286 patients who responded after four to six cycles of chemotherapy compared PCI with no further therapy.[46][Level of evidence B1

Source links and citations

A randomized trial of 286 patients who responded after four to six cycles of chemotherapy compared PCI with no further therapy.[46][Level of evidence B1

The cumulative risk of brain metastases within 1 year was 14.6% in the radiation group (95% CI, 8.3%–20.9%) and 40.4% in the control group (95% CI, 32.1%– 48.6%).

A randomized trial of 286 patients who responded after four to six cycles of chemotherapy compared PCI with no further therapy.[46][Level of evidence B1

Radiation was associated with an increase in median DFS from 12.0 weeks to 14.7 weeks and in median OS from 5.4 months to 6.7 months after randomization.

A randomized trial of 286 patients who responded after four to six cycles of chemotherapy compared PCI with no further therapy.[46][Level of evidence B1

The 1-year survival rate was 27.1% (95% CI, 19.4%–35.5%) in the radiation group and 13.3% (95% CI, 8.1%–19.9%) in the control group.[46]

Source links and citations

A randomized trial of 286 patients who responded after four to six cycles of chemotherapy compared PCI with no further therapy.[46][Level of evidence B1

Radiation had side effects but did not have a clinically significant effect on global health status.[46]

Source links and citations

A randomized trial of 286 patients who responded after four to six cycles of chemotherapy compared PCI with no further therapy.[46][Level of evidence B1

Only 29% of the randomly assigned patients had brain imaging at diagnosis.[47]

Source links and citations

Publication references

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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice