What Is Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)?

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a fast-growing cancer that forms in the lung. It’s one of two types of lung cancer . The other type is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). SCLC is less common than NSCLC, accounting for about 15 percent of all lung cancers.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629480a00b2-b9a1-469b-bee5-6a9e93e3f115 This cancer is named for the size of the cells, which look smaller under a microscope than healthy lung cells or NSCLC cells. Smoking is the biggest risk factor for SCLC, but even never-smokers can develop SCLC.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cdbc31d7-05bb-4ec1-8307-30fee7b0ab93 SCLC grows quickly. By the time it is diagnosed, the cancer has often spread from the lung to other parts of the body.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ff6a2d53-5493-40ef-aebe-b421db8dd4d5 Even so, it can be curable when the cancer has barely spread or not spread at all. Even when SCLC has spread, there are treatments available to slow cancer growth and alleviate some symptoms.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297a72c84f-1319-4597-846a-4dc5f8849cf4
Types of Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Types SCLC comes in two types:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629961e798f-4f09-42a0-82fc-e90389871e9ee60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762934eafa76-bcb9-4a71-b908-254db5231a4b Small cell carcinoma (oat cell carcinoma): This is the more common type. It’s named for the oat-like shape of the cancer cells, and it tends to spread quickly. Sometimes this is called small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Combined small cell carcinoma: This type is much less common. It contains a mixture of SCLC cells and NSCLC cells.
Signs and Symptoms of Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Symptoms Symptoms of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762993fbe766-4e17-41f8-8197-4a9fa225e0b9 Unexplained weight loss A cough that doesn’t go away or gets worse Coughing up blood Chest pain Trouble breathing Wheezing Hoarse voice Difficulty swallowing Appetite loss Tiredness Swelling in the veins of the face and neck
Causes and Risk Factors of Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Causes Smoking is the main cause of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Most people who are diagnosed with this cancer are current or former smokers. The longer someone has smoked and the more cigarettes, cigars, or pipes they have smoked, the greater their risk. Regular exposure to secondhand smoke can also increase the likelihood of SCLC.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762984edd293-dd29-4ca6-bf47-891d7dcb935b Exposure to these substances increases the risk for SCLC:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629af753a33-d166-4634-9961-6b2186edfbc2 Radon gas, which sometimes leaches into basements from soil surrounding your home Asbestos, found in work environments, such as mines or textile plants Chemicals like arsenic, cadmium, silica, vinyl chloride, coal products, and beryllium (mainly found in certain industrial workplaces)e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629148b33fd-e1e6-4a52-9076-8c3404fd7b94 Air pollution, such as from diesel fumese60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629148b33fd-e1e6-4a52-9076-8c3404fd7b94 Radiation to the chest from other cancer treatments or imaging scans Exposure to these substances can damage DNA in ways that allow lung cells to grow uncontrollably and become cancer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bafc42b3-4b00-4c19-b0e6-ee4b41da4ac5 Some gene changes pass down through families, which is why people who have a family history of SCLC are at increased risk for this cancer themselves.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629af753a33-d166-4634-9961-6b2186edfbc2 Once you’ve had lung cancer you’re more likely to develop it again.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629148b33fd-e1e6-4a52-9076-8c3404fd7b94
How Is Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Diagnosed? Diagnosis The diagnosis of small cell lung cancer usually starts with a discussion of symptoms and a physical exam. If the doctor suspects cancer, these imaging tests can show whether there are any abnormal growths in the chest or other parts of the body.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292cdfbef0-0e9f-486e-9d57-242378f680e2 Chest X-Ray This test uses a small amount of radiation to create pictures of the lungs.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292cdfbef0-0e9f-486e-9d57-242378f680e2 Computed Tomography (CT) In a CT scan , a computer combines X-ray images taken of the chest from multiple angles into one cross-sectional and highly detailed image. A CT scan can also show swelling in lymph nodes, if the cancer has spread there.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629152c3339-487e-4364-b7de-4b9dc4ce1aa8 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) An MRI uses strong magnets and radio waves to take detailed images from inside the body.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292cdfbef0-0e9f-486e-9d57-242378f680e2 Positron Emission Tomography (PET) In a PET scan , a small amount of radioactive sugar is injected into a vein, and then a scan is done with a special camera. Because cancer cells take up more sugar than healthy ones, areas with cancer show up on the scan. PET and CT are sometimes combined into one test.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629152c3339-487e-4364-b7de-4b9dc4ce1aa8 Imaging tests can show areas of abnormal growths, but the only way to confirm the diagnosis is by taking a sample of cells or tissue and testing it in a laboratory. This is called a biopsy , and it can be done in a few ways.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629152c3339-487e-4364-b7de-4b9dc4ce1aa8 Needle Biopsy The doctor uses a thin (fine needle biopsy) or thicker (core biopsy) needle to remove cells and fluid. A CT or ultrasound helps guide the needle to the suspicious area.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292cdfbef0-0e9f-486e-9d57-242378f680e2 Bronchoscopy A bronchoscope is a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera. The doctor places the scope through the nose or mouth and passes it into the airways. Instruments threaded through the scope remove biopsy samples.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296a53feaf-45a7-4c41-84e8-8641aa0cc21b Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) This technique combines bronchoscopy with ultrasound imaging to find and biopsy lymph nodes that might contain cancer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629152c3339-487e-4364-b7de-4b9dc4ce1aa8 Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy Using a technology that’s similar to the GPS in cars, this procedure enables doctors to find small, hard-to-reach tumors that aren’t accessible with bronchoscopy alone.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bcfd05ba-ecc7-4d5c-a9c3-3572b84b6671 Stages of Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) The stage is based on the cancer’s size and location, information which was gathered from the diagnostic imaging tests and biopsies. Knowing the stage helps doctors choose the treatment that’s most likely to be effective. SCLC has two stages:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b7dbd4fc-639b-4c15-8f87-6d6fb6cdc2a9 Limited stage is only in the lung, and possibly lymph nodes, on one side of the chest. Extensive stage has spread to the other lung, to distant lymph nodes, or to organs like the bones or brain.
Treatment and Medication Options for Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Treatment Treatment for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) depends on the stage. Limited-stage SCLC can be treated with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy. For extensive-stage SCLC, treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy can slow the cancer and relieve symptoms. Surgery is often ruled out for SCLC that has spread.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762966aa4250-7d71-4e52-a6e3-b2b332af5c38 Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is strong medicine, often injected into a vein, that travels throughout the bloodstream to kill cancer cells wherever they are in the body. In limited-stage SCLC, chemotherapy given along with radiation kills any remaining cancer cells. For extensive-stage SCLC, chemotherapy is often the main treatment, sometimes along with immunotherapy.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ca32ad57-f865-4332-98aa-453916838887 When chemotherapy is combined with radiation, the treatment is called concurrent chemoradiation.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f4ba64f1-563e-402b-a042-4e208c11e90f The two treatments work together to kill and prevent the spreading of cancer cells.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cc094afb-7440-4783-bf8a-eb98f9a2bd00 The chemotherapy combinations that are most often used to treat SCLC are:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f4ba64f1-563e-402b-a042-4e208c11e90f Cisplatin and etoposide Carboplatin and etoposide Radiation Therapy In this treatment, a machine delivers high energy radiation to the tumor. The radiation kills cancer cells and stops them from dividing. For limited-stage SCLC, radiation therapy is given with chemotherapy to eliminate the cancer. In extensive-stage SCLC, it’s given to shrink tumors and relieve symptoms like pain, bleeding, and shortness of breath that happen as the cancer grows and spreads.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290b142c36-bc3f-462b-8620-dea345496ca4 Immunotherapy This treatment works differently. Instead of killing cancer cells, it helps the immune system more effectively fight the cancer. The most common immunotherapy drugs used to treat SCLC are checkpoint inhibitors. By blocking the protein PD-L1 or PD-1, they “turn on” immune cells to attack cancer cells. Immunotherapy can also be combined with chemotherapy, especially to treat extensive-stage SCLC.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cc094afb-7440-4783-bf8a-eb98f9a2bd00 Immune checkpoint inhibitors used for SCLC are:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cc094afb-7440-4783-bf8a-eb98f9a2bd00 Atezolizumab (Tecentriq) Durvalumab (Imfinzi) Tarlatamab-dlle (Imdelltra) is another type of immunotherapy drug called a bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE). This drug has two “arms.” One attaches to an immune cell called a T cell. The other attaches to a protein on the surface of SCLC cells. BiTE brings the immune cell to the cancer cell to kill it. It’s a treatment for extensive-stage cancer that is no longer responding to chemotherapy.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629de651cf8-3950-47c1-a302-ec05113e6af9 Targeted Therapies There are not as many targeted therapies available for SCLC as NSCLC, but new research looks promising. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as apatinib (Rivoceranib), block an enzyme used in cell growth and division, which can limit tumor growth.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cf3407a1-02b7-4e1c-bdc9-6f987c56b207 While these targeted therapies are not yet fully approved, newer therapies might be an option through a clinical trial. Speak with your doctor about what clinical trials you might be eligible for, or look at ClinicalTrials.gov . Surgery Surgery isn’t a common treatment for SCLC. Less than 5 percent of people qualify for this therapy because they have limited-stage cancer with a small tumor that hasn’t spread to any lymph nodes.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762952e9a5de-da27-4c50-ae86-7a3569c90360 Depending on the size and location of the cancer, the surgeon may remove one lobe of the lung (lobectomy). Chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy is given after surgery to ensure that all the cancer cells have been eradicated and to reduce the risk of a recurrence.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cc094afb-7440-4783-bf8a-eb98f9a2bd00 Complementary and Integrative Therapies Complementary therapies work alongside conventional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. Treatments like these don’t slow the cancer, but they can help people with SCLC feel better:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294ed690fc-a64b-461f-93bf-0f7126cf0123 Acupuncture helps with pain and relieves nausea from chemotherapy.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629551b328b-5a66-4e3e-b071-a241bc4b84f2 Yoga reduces fatigue and improves sleep.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629551b328b-5a66-4e3e-b071-a241bc4b84f2 Massage therapy is helpful for pain and anxiety.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629551b328b-5a66-4e3e-b071-a241bc4b84f2 Meditation has a calming effect that eases anxiety and stress.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762961ada2f4-07dc-4772-9cee-c27fe9d30dac Music therapy is useful for relieving anxiety.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762961ada2f4-07dc-4772-9cee-c27fe9d30dac
Prevention of Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Prevention Because the number one cause of SCLC is smoking, quitting all tobacco products — including cigars and pipes — is the best way to prevent this cancer. Even if you’ve been smoking for years, quitting will help prevent further damage before lung cancer can develop.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297759fef2-6722-40f7-819d-17999b234d6d Ask your doctor about medications or other smoking cessation methods to reduce your urge to smoke. Also try to avoid secondhand smoke.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ba15e0b1-e659-4231-955c-477144315eb8 Radon is another major cause of SCLC. It seeps into homes through the ground. If you’re not sure whether you’re being exposed to radon, have your home tested. Treating your home or installing a radon mitigation system can reduce levels. Also try to avoid lung cancer-causing substances, like asbestos, cadmium, and coal products, in the workplace, and use appropriate personal protective equipment when necessary.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297759fef2-6722-40f7-819d-17999b234d6d Detecting SCLC early can improve survival. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual low-dose computed tomography (CT) screening for people ages 50 to 80 who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years and who have a 20 pack-year smoking history. That’s equal to smoking one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years, or two packs a day for 10 years.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b7967619-c86b-48d5-9169-b62391fe3756 However, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) takes a broader approach and recommends screening over age 50 with at least a 20 pack-year history of smoking.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c8010888-1fd0-4944-b057-f5db031edb04
Lifestyle Changes for Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Lifestyle Changes During treatment, take good care of your health to keep up your strength, manage side effects, and improve your emotional well-being. Here are a few lifestyle changes your doctor might recommend. Stop Smoking Even if you’ve already been diagnosed with lung cancer, it’s not too late to quit smoking. Quitting can improve your lung function, prevent your cancer from progressing, lower the odds of it coming back, and help you live longer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c3b90ca6-4dd5-473e-b409-137203c37f29 Eat a Nutritious Diet Good nutrition is always important, but it’s especially crucial to eat well during lung cancer treatment. Your body needs a mix of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats for energy and to preserve your strength.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299aa20b79-66ee-416c-8aea-d6c6ae2e1884 If treatment has reduced your appetite or caused nausea, a dietitian at your cancer hospital can create an eating plan that you can tolerate to give you the calories and nutrients you need to stay healthy.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298299b368-acc1-4efd-a517-52b8338141d5 Get Regular Exercise Cancer-related fatigue can make it difficult to exercise, but staying active will give you more energy. Even a slow walk, yoga or tai chi session, or other low-intensity activity is helpful. Exercise improves mood, reduces stress, and helps with shortness of breath and other breathing problems caused by lung cancer. Check with your doctor before you start any new exercise program, to make sure it’s safe for you.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296abc366f-fb6f-4570-ba8e-1db1e4db77b9 It’s generally recommended that most adults get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976295f61dada-55e7-4469-9b96-459dbb42d885
Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Prognosis Prognosis and Outlook In general, the less the cancer has spread, the higher the survival rate. SCLC tends to have a lower survival rate than NSCLC because it has often spread to distant lymph nodes or organs when it is diagnosed. The likelihood of surviving for at least five years after an SCLC diagnosis are:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e7cf5b88-7fab-4a93-8235-dde327acf8b6 30 percent when the cancer has not spread outside the lung 18 percent when the cancer has spread regionally, to nearby lymph nodes or tissues 3 percent when the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the brain It’s important to remember that these statistics don’t take into account newer treatments, and they can’t predict how long you’ll live. Your outcome depends on which treatments you get, and how well your cancer responds to those treatments. Also, this data is based on initial diagnoses and doesn’t apply to lung cancers that come back (recur) after treatment.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e7cf5b88-7fab-4a93-8235-dde327acf8b6
Complications of Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Complications Some complications of small cell lung cancer happen as the cancer grows and spreads. When a tumor blocks the airways or fluid builds up in the lungs, it can cause shortness of breath. Pain can be a result of the cancer spreading to bones or other organs.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f6d4f7cd-f719-485c-9b69-cbb0ab34ca57 Additional potential complications include paraneoplastic syndromes, which happen when lung cancer cells release substances that act on certain organs and tissues. These syndromes include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762994bf596b-71e1-4310-98d4-70e33d21bc67 Cushing’s syndrome , which results in elevated levels of the hormone cortisol Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion ( SIADH), which can affect your sense of taste and cause weakness Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, which causes weakness of the arms and legs Chemotherapy and other treatments can cause nerve or kidney damage. You and your doctor should discuss these potential side effects and complications before deciding which treatment plan is best for you.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cb71fadd-0b4c-4954-83fb-904cb0008f1b
Research and Statistics: How Many People Have Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)? Research and Statistics Almost 227,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer each year.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976295d0f47a4-f226-4af5-81af-64410f270861 SCLC makes up about 15 percent of those diagnoses.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297b4a2a39-f61a-4208-8ee5-815be44e82fa The vast majority of people diagnosed with SCLC are or were smokers.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296e3e54c7-9a72-49cc-b878-79043685a403 SCLC is more common in people who were assigned male at birth than in those assigned female at birth. An increasing number of women are being diagnosed with this cancer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a29e1d22-1007-42b3-87d4-ccf7a6f22671
Disparities and Inequities in Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Disparities Thanks to treatment advances like immunotherapy, SCLC survival rates are improving. Certain groups, though, are less likely to get the recommended treatments, including Black and Hispanic Americans, older adults, and people of lower incomes.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298ce8b792-743a-49c7-ab1d-435b0a25a488 In some cases, those disparities have resulted in lower survival rates. Black Americans and Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Black Americans have the highest rate of lung cancer diagnoses of any other racial and ethnic group. They are also less likely to get lung cancer screening than other groups. Once diagnosed, Black Americans with SCLC are less likely to have curative treatment, even if they have insurance coverage.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297612e75a-0427-4718-8b28-6ee0fc66e32b But despite all these disparities, their survival rates aren’t lower than those of other groups. Research shows that Black people are less likely to get the recommended treatment — chemotherapy — than white people. Even so, they have better survival rates than white people.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298ce8b792-743a-49c7-ab1d-435b0a25a488 Another study that looked at people with limited-stage SCLC also found a survival advantage among Black Americans.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976295ff605fb-fd54-4413-879f-00ab064deeb1 Hispanic and Latinx Americans and Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) This population has the lowest risk of lung cancer among all ethnic and racial groups, but when they do get diagnosed, their cancer is more likely to be at a later stage. Hispanic and Latinx Americans are 28 percent more likely to not receive any treatment and 12 percent less likely to survive five years than non-Hispanic white Americans.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297612e75a-0427-4718-8b28-6ee0fc66e32b Their access to clinical trials is also lacking. Only 1 percent of Hispanic and Latinx Americans enroll in lung cancer studies. Without having new treatments tested on this group, it’s hard for doctors to know whether, or how well these therapies will work.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297612e75a-0427-4718-8b28-6ee0fc66e32b American Indian/Alaska Native Americans and Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) This group has the second highest rate of lung cancer diagnoses, and the highest smoking rate in the country. Yet only 23 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native Americans are diagnosed early, and 22 percent of those who are diagnosed don’t receive treatment. Likely due to the lack of treatment, people in this group are 13 percent less likely to survive for five years than non-Hispanic white Americans.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297612e75a-0427-4718-8b28-6ee0fc66e32b Asian and Pacific Islanders and Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) People within these ethnic groups are not diagnosed with lung cancer as often as those in other groups. But when they do develop lung cancer, it’s 16 percent less likely to be caught early than it is with non-Hispanic white Americans. But when it comes to survival rates, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans do just as well as white Americans.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297612e75a-0427-4718-8b28-6ee0fc66e32b Income and Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) As for income, higher earners have a better survival advantage. That may have to do with health insurance coverage, which is also associated with better outcomes — especially when people have private insurance. Some studies also link education level to better outcomes, but the data remains unclear. Higher income is often associated with a higher level of education.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976295ff605fb-fd54-4413-879f-00ab064deeb1
Related Conditions to Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Related Conditions A few conditions can happen alongside small cell lung cancer and can potentially affect its outcome. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that progressively gets worse and causes difficulty breathing. COPD includes two conditions: emphysema and chronic bronchitis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e40b5cc8-ab0b-4b22-a051-28c8d5002973 COPD and SCLC share some of the same risk factors, including tobacco smoking. COPD may cause lung cancer to develop faster, and it can speed up cancer progression, leading to worse survival.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629216d16cf-fa46-4b50-ab65-c412c5f99574 Cardiovascular disease and lung cancer share many of the same risk factors, including smoking, high blood pressure, age, and diabetes. Having cardiovascular disease increases the risk of dying from lung cancer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292e58122d-6c1a-4f59-8187-60e996f82c58 Heart complications can be a side effect of chemotherapy treatment, so if you have a history of cardiovascular disease, your doctor may tailor your treatments in an attempt to avoid further heart complications.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629788f6970-f176-46e9-858a-3a7aef516757
Support for Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Support LUNGevity Foundation This nonprofit organization’s support communities are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. LUNGevity offers face-to-face meetups, an online forum, and a Facebook group where people with SCLC can share information and advice. The organization also offers resources to help lung cancer patients navigate their diagnosis. GO2 for Lung Cancer This lung cancer organization, which was founded by patients and survivors, is dedicated to prolonging survival and improving quality of life. It offers a variety of support services for lung cancer patients and their families, including a HelpLine, treatment navigation, and a peer-to-peer phone network. CancerCare This national organization offers free treatment information, support services, and other resources for people affected by lung cancer. CancerCare also provides counseling from oncology social workers, as well as financial assistance and support groups.
The Takeaway Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the less-common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 15 percent of lung cancer cases. SCLC is the most aggressive and fastest spreading form of all lung cancers. Smoking is by far the leading cause of SCLC. Chemotherapy is usually part of the treatment. Surgery is an option for limited-stage cancers, and immunotherapy and radiation may be used for all stages of SCLC. SCLC often isn’t diagnosed until it has already spread, but new treatments are helping to improve survival.
Resources We Trust Cleveland Clinic: Small Cell Lung Cancer National Cancer Institute: Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment (PDQ) Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) American Lung Association: Clinical Trials LUNGevity: Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)

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