Comparison of platinum and non-platinum based regimens in the treatment of small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Small cell lung cancer, and lung cancer in general, remains one of the most impactful public health issues in the modern age due to its high morbidity and mortality. Surgery is usually not a possibility for small cell lung cancer, so treatment mainly involves chemoradiotherapy and to some extent immunotherapy. Mainstay of treatment in both extended stage and limited stage small cell lung cancer involves a combination of a platinum compound and a topoisomerase inhibitor. Many studies have shown that various non-platinum drug combinations have an acceptable clinical efficacy as well, so it remains that the superiority of platinum-based regimens in treating small cell lung cancer is still contestable.