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Medical Oncology
Published in: Medical Oncology 6/2017

01-06-2017 | Review Article

Progress and challenges in the treatment of small cell lung cancer

Authors: Alfredo Tartarone, Pasqualina Giordano, Rosa Lerose, Maria Grazia Rodriquenz, Raffaele Conca, Michele Aieta

Published in: Medical Oncology | Issue 6/2017

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Abstract

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a very aggressive malignancy characterized by high cellular proliferation and early metastatic spread. In fact, although SCLC is a chemosensitive and radiosensitive disease, the initial responsiveness to chemotherapy is usually followed by development of resistance and the prognosis remains poor with a median survival of less than 12 months in patients with extensive disease (ED-SCLC). Furthermore, no significant progress has been made over the last years, with no newly approved drug. For all these reasons, SCLC represents for the oncologists a major challenge and an exciting field of clinical research. In this review, we analyze the most promising advances in development for SCLC with a special focus on antiangiogenic treatments, immunotherapy, novel chemotherapeutic and targeted agents.
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Metadata
Title
Progress and challenges in the treatment of small cell lung cancer
Authors
Alfredo Tartarone
Pasqualina Giordano
Rosa Lerose
Maria Grazia Rodriquenz
Raffaele Conca
Michele Aieta
Publication date
01-06-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Medical Oncology / Issue 6/2017
Print ISSN: 1357-0560
Electronic ISSN: 1559-131X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-017-0966-6

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