A 20-year retrospective study of small-cell carcinomas in Taiwan

Background and Objectives Small‐cell carcinomas (SCC) develop most commonly in the lung (small‐cell lung carcinoma, SCLC) and only small percentages are present at extra‐pulmonary sites. This study aimed to examine the distribution, treatment, and survival of SCCs. Methods The records for 922 SCC cases of various origins between January 1989 and December 2008 were retrieved and analyzed. Results The lung (89.2%) was the most common location, followed by the esophagus (1.8%), urinary bladder (1.6%), uterine cervix (1.5%), colorectum (1.4%), skin (1.0%), stomach (0.9%), head and neck (0.7%), prostate (0.3%), and small intestine (0.1%). Limited disease (LD) SCLC patients underwent surgery and chemotherapy had significantly higher survival rates than those who received chemotherapy alone, those who underwent combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and those who were administered supportive treatment. Actuarial 1‐, 2‐, and 3‐year survival rate was 28.9%, 9.4%, and 4.8% for total SCLC cases, 41.3%, 17.5%, and 9.6% for LD‐SCLC patients, and 21.9%, 4.2%, and 1.8% for extensive disease (ED)‐SCLC patients (P