[Small-cell carcinoma of the lung relapsing at the primary site three years after radiation therapy with chemotherapy].

A 55-year-old man was diagnosed as having limited disease (T2N2M0, stage III) of small-cell carcinoma of the lung. He underwent radiation therapy (60 Gy in 30 fractions) in addition to combination chemotherapy, resulting in complete response with advantage for irradiation. Relapse in the primary site was seen three years after completion of the initial treatment. As a result, retreatment was started using radiation therapy (50 Gy in 25 fractions) with chemotherapy. The tumor almost disappeared again. Subsequently, cerebral metastasis was observed in the fourth year, indicating clinical and prognostic significance. Thoracic irradiation contributed to prolonged survival in this case. The most effective manner of combining irradiation and chemotherapy and the most efficacious doses were discussed.