A Prospective Randomized Study Comparing the Target Volume for Limited-stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients were eligible if they had histologic or cytologic verification of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and were radiographically confirmed limited-stage
* Patients with contralateral mediastinal and ipsilateral supraclavicular lymphadenopathy were also included.
* The patients should be between 18 and 75 years old without previous thoracic radiotherapy, chemotherapy or biotherapy.
* Karnofsky performance status was ≥ 80.
* Forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV1) ≥ 1 L.
* Had measurable or assessable disease.
* Neutrophilic granulocyte ≥ 1.5×109/L, haemoglobin ≥ 100 g/L, platelet count ≥ 100×109/L.
* Serum creatine and bilirubin \< 1.5 × the upper normal limit (UNL), aminotransferase \< 2 × UNL.
* Weight loss was less than 10% within 6 months before diagnosis.
* Written informed consent was required from all patients.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients were ineligible if they had a history of other malignant diseases except for non-melanomatous skin cancer and carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or any contraindications for chemoradiotherapy, malignant pleural and/or pericardial effusion.