BACKGROUND.
Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) of the lung occurs at a higher frequency in Asian compared with Western patients. Its association with Epstein-Barr virus varies among different ethnic groups.
METHODS.
Nine patients with primary LELC of the lung treated at a single institution with a multimodality approach comprised of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are reported. Chemotherapy was comprised of cisplatin, 100 mg/m 2 , on Day 1 and 5-fluorouracil, 1 g/m 2 , on Days 2, 3, and 4.
RESULTS.
Five male and 4 female patients were treated over a 3-year period. Eight patients were non-smokers. Three patients had operable disease. Two of these patients received adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy and remained free of recurrence at 18 and 20 months, respectively; 1 patient received no adjuvant treatment, and palliative chemotherapy was given for subsequent recurrent disease. Six patients had inoperable disease and received palliative chemotherapy ฯฎ radiotherapy. Five patients had distant metastatic disease at presentation. Of the 7 patients who were evaluable for response to chemotherapy, 71.4% had a partial response and 28.6% had progressive disease. One patient who was evaluable for response to radiotherapy achieved a partial response.
CONCLUSIONS.
Primary LELC of the lung has a high rate of systemic metastasis and is highly chemosensitive. A multimodality approach to the management of this disease is recommended.