Interstitial lung disease in patients with small cell lung cancer

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and lung cancer are two of the most common respiratory diseases. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the prognostic significance of the presence of ILD in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). All the patients with SCLC who were admitted to our hospitals over a 23-year period up to 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. During the study period, 332 SCLC patients were consecutively admitted to our hospitals. Among them, 15 (4.5%) were diagnosed as having both SCLC and ILD. In univariate and multivariate analysis, female sex, early stage, good performance status, and chemotherapy were favorable prognostic factors. The presence of ILD was confirmed as an unfavorable prognostic factor. Existing ILD adversely affects the outcome of SCLC. When deciding whether to offer a standard therapy that may increase treatment-related mortality, the patient’s medical condition, including ILD, should be taken into consideration.