• Time to symptomatic brain metastases measured by Logrank at 6 weeks, every 3 months in year 1, and then every 6 months [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

• Quality of life assessed by EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC BN-20 at baseline, 6 weeks, every 3 months in year 1, and then every 6 months [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Toxicity assessed by NCI CTC v2.0 during treatment, at 6 weeks, every 3 months in year 1, and then every 6 months [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
  
• Survival measured by Logrank at 6 weeks, every 3 months in year 1, and then every 6 months [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

OBJECTIVES:

• Compare the incidence of, and time to, symptomatic brain metastases in patients with previously treated extensive stage small cell lung cancer treated with prophylactic cranial irradiation vs no further therapy.
• Compare the quality of life and survival of these patients.
• Determine the toxicity of this regimen in these patients.
• Determine the health economics associated with this study.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to participating center and performance status. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

• Arm I: Within 5 weeks after completion of prior chemotherapy, patients undergo prophylactic cranial irradiation once daily for 5-12 days.
• Arm II: Patients receive no further therapy after completion of prior chemotherapy.

Quality of life is assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, every 3 months for 1 year, and then every 6 months thereafter.

Patients are followed at 6 weeks, every 3 months for 1 year, and then every 6 months thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 287 patients will be accrued for this study within 3 years.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Cytologically or histologically confirmed small cell lung cancer

  • Documented extensive disease before the initiation of chemotherapy

• Responsive disease after 4 to 6 courses of initial chemotherapy

  • No more than 5 weeks since completion of prior chemotherapy
• No brain or leptomeningeal metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 to 75

Performance status:

• WHO 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Not specified

Other:

• No other prior or concurrent malignancy except skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Endocrine therapy:

• No concurrent corticosteroids

Radiotherapy:

• No prior radiotherapy to the brain
• No prior radiotherapy to the head and neck

Surgery:

• Not specified