Advances in Molecular Subtyping, Characteristics and Therapeutic Strategies of Small Cell Lung Cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a malignant tumor with remarkable proliferative and invasive ability, which has very poor clinical prognosis due to lack of effective treatments. In recent years, researches on cells, animal models and tumor samples have promoted the identification of molecular subtypes of SCLC, discovered unique biological and clinical characteristics, and proposed potential specific therapeutic targets for different subtypes. This will encourage the development of more accurate therapeutic strategies towards SCLC, with a view to improving the prognosis of the patients. This article will review the current SCLC molecular subtypes, focus on the clinical characteristics and therapeutic strategies of different SCLC subtypes, and propose reasonable suggestions for the future treatment of SCLC.
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Características de pacientes com câncer de pulmão na cidade de Manaus / Characteristics of patients with lung cancer in the city of Manaus, Brazil

OBJETIVO: Analisar as características de pacientes com câncer de pulmão. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo e descritivo dos pacientes com diagnóstico histopatológico de câncer de pulmão entre 1995 e 2002 em Manaus (AM). Os dados dos pacientes foram coletados nos arquivos médicos de três hospitais. As análises estatísticas foram realizadas, e as curvas de sobrevida geradas a partir do estimador atuarial. RESULTADOS: Dos 352 pacientes selecionados, 262 (74,4 por cento) eram do sexo masculino e 90 (25,6 por cento) do feminino. A média de idade foi de 62 anos. Os seguintes tipos histológicos foram encontrados: carcinoma de células escamosas, 62,8 por cento; adenocarcinoma, 24,7 por cento; carcinoma de pequenas células, 9,1 por cento; e carcinoma de grandes células, 3,4 por cento. Os estádios IIIB e IV foram os mais comuns, com uma frequência de 45 por cento e 21,5 por cento, respectivamente. Da amostra total, 73,4 por cento foram submetidos a tratamento. Desses, 51,4 por cento foram submetidos à radioterapia; 16,6 por cento, à cirurgia; 15,8 por cento, à quimioterapia; e 16,2 por cento, à radioterapia associada à quimioterapia. Os níveis de sobrevida acumulada foram baixos: a sobrevida em três anos foi de 6,5 por cento e a sobrevida em cinco anos foi de 3,5 por cento. CONCLUSÕES: Este grupo de pacientes com câncer de pulmão apresentou uma sobrevida muito pequena, divergindo dos resultados encontrados na literatura. Isto é provavelmente decorrente da dificuldade de acesso ao sistema de saúde especializado e do estágio avançado do diagnóstico.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of patients with lung cancer. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study of patients receiving a histopathological diagnosis of lung cancer between 1995 and 2002 in the city of Manaus, Brazil. Data were collected from the medical archives of three hospitals. Statistical analyses were carried out, and survival curves were generated by means of an actuarial estimator. RESULTS: Of the 352 patients selected, 262 (74.4 percent) were male and 90 (25.6 percent) were female. The mean age was 62 years. The following histological types were identified: squamous cell carcinoma, 62.8 percent; adenocarcinoma, 24.7 percent; small cell carcinoma, 9.1 percent; and large cell carcinoma, 3.4 percent. The most common stages were stages IIIB and IV, in 45 percent and 21.5 percent, respectively. Of the total sample, 73.4 percent were submitted to treatment. Of these, 51.4 percent underwent radiotherapy; 16.6 percent, surgery; 15.8 percent, chemotherapy; and 16.2 percent, radiotherapy in association with chemotherapy. Cumulative survival rates were low: three-year survival was 6.5 percent, and five-year survival was 3.5 percent. CONCLUSIONS: In this group of patients with lung cancer, survival rates were considerably lower than those reported in the literature. This might be attributable to the limited access to the specialized health care system and the advanced stage of the disease at diagnosis.