Limited-extent small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) remains a therapeutic problem with little improvement in complete response (CR) rates and long-term survival in the past 5 years. From June 1984 through January 1985, 56 patients with limited-extent SCLC were enrolled in a Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) phase II study using five cycles of cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m2 intravenously [IV] day 1), etoposide (80 mg/m2 IV days 1 to 3), and cisplatin (33 mg/m2 IV days 1 to 3) administered at 3-week intervals (CEP), with radiation therapy (50 Gy to chest and 30 Gy to brain) administered concomitant with cycles 4 and 5, followed by three cycles of cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m2 IV day 1), etoposide (80 mg/m2 IV days 1 to 3), and doxorubicin (50 mg/m2 IV day 1). Of 49 patients evaluable for response, the overall response rate was 88%, with 57% CRs. The median overall survival was 14 months; the median duration of CR was 10 months, and nine CRs remain disease free at a median follow-up of 23 months. Toxicity was significant: 56% patients experienced WBC less than 1,000 microL, 32% platelets less than 25,000 microL and 10% hemoglobin less than 7 g/dL. There was one treatment-related septic death. These results are as good as the best previous CALGB study of SCLC, despite a reduction in duration of treatment from 18 to 5 months. We are currently using a variant of this multimodality treatment approach as our standard management for patients with limited-extent SCLC.