Thrombocytosis in primary lung cancer

BACKGROUND The prevalence of thrombocytosis in lung cancer has been variably reported from 13% to 60%. The vast majority of published data derive from retrospective studies and therefore the estimation of the real prevalence is difficult. PATIENTS AND METHODS We prospectively enumerated platelets in the peripheral blood of 317 consecutive, untreated lung cancer patients. Thrombocytosis was defined as a pletelet count >400.000/mm3. Tumours were histopathologically classified according to the WHO classification and staging was performed according the 2002 version ISS for NSCLC and to the VALSG two stage system for SCLC. RESULTS Thrombocytosis was present in 64 (20.2%) patients and it was unrelated to gender and extent of disease but it was age related: 29/91 (31.8%) in patients ≤50 yrs versus 35/226 (15%) in patients >50yrs old (p=0.001). The distribution of thrombocytosis in the two major histological types was 54/165 (32.7%) for NSCLC and 10/152 (6.6%) for SCLC (

European Lung Cancer Working Party. Clinical Practice Guidelines. Small Cell Lung Cancer: V. Extensive disease

The present guidelines on the management of extensive disease small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were formulated by the ELCWP in October 2007. They are designed to answer the following nine questions: 1) What is the definition of extensive disease? 2)What are the active drugs? 3) What is the best induction regimen? 4) Is there a role for maintenance chemotherapy? 5) Is there a role for dose-intensive chemotherapy? 6) Is there a role for the use of haemopoietic growth factors and stem cells support? 7) Is there a role for alternating or sequential chemotherapy? 8) Is there a role for biological treatments? 9) Is there a place for second-line chemotherapy