Chemotherapy as treatment of choice in extrapulmonary undifferentiated small cell carcinomas.

Extrapulmonary undifferentiated small cell carcinomas, especially those arising in the upper aerodigestive tract, form a group of neoplasms with a clinical behavior which resembles small cell carcinoma of the lung. In 11 patients treated by combination chemotherapy an objective response rate of 82% was achieved for a median duration of 8+ months. Median survival for all patients was 12 months. Long-term survival was observed in those patients with limited disease who achieved a complete response after chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy.