Small cell lung cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the lung. The lungs are a pair of cone-shaped breathing organs in the chest. The lungs bring oxygen into the body as you breathe in. They release carbon dioxide, a waste product of the body’s cells, as you breathe out. Each lung has sections called lobes. The left lung has two lobes. The right lung is slightly larger and has three lobes. Two tubes called bronchi lead from the trachea (windpipe) to the right and left lungs. The bronchi are sometimes also involved in lung cancer. Tiny air sacs called alveoli and small tubes called bronchioles make up the inside of the lungs1.
| Anatomy of the respiratory system, showing the trachea and both lungs and their lobes and airways. Lymph nodes and the diaphragm are also shown. Oxygen is inhaled into the lungs and passes through the thin membranes of the alveoli and into the bloodstream (see inset). 1 |
A thin membrane called the pleura covers the outside of each lung and lines the inside wall of the chest cavity. This creates a sac called the pleural cavity. The pleural cavity normally contains a small amount of fluid that helps the lungs move smoothly in the chest when you breathe.
There are two types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. This summary provides information on small cell lung cancer. (See the PDQ summary on Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment for more information.)
There are three types of small cell lung cancer.
These three types include many different types of cells. The cancer cells of each type grow and spread in different ways. The types of small cell lung cancer are named for the kinds of cells found in the cancer and how the cells look when viewed under a microscope:
- Small cell carcinoma (oat cell cancer).
- Mixed small cell/large cell carcinoma.
- Combined small cell carcinoma.
Smoking can increase the risk of developing small cell lung cancer.
Smoking cigarettes or cigars is the most common cause of lung cancer. The more years a person smokes, the greater the risk. If a person has stopped smoking, the risk becomes lower as the years pass, but is never completely gone.
Anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn’t mean that you will not get cancer. People who think they may be at risk should discuss this with their doctor. Risk factors for lung cancer include the following:
- Smoking cigarettes or cigars, now or in the past.
- Being exposed to second-hand smoke.
- Being treated with radiation therapy to the breast or chest.
- Being exposed to asbestos, radon, chromium, arsenic, soot, or tar.
- Living where there is air pollution.
When smoking is combined with other risk factors, the risk of developing lung cancer is increased.
Possible signs of small cell lung cancer include coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
These and other symptoms may be caused by small cell lung cancer. Other conditions may cause the same symptoms. A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur:
- A cough that doesn’t go away.
- Shortness of breath.
- Chest pain that doesn’t go away.
- Wheezing.
- Coughing up blood.
- Hoarseness.
- Swelling of the face and neck.
- Loss of appetite.
- Weight loss for no known reason.
- Unusual tiredness.
Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.
The prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options depend on the following:
- The stage of the cancer (whether it is in the chest cavity only or has spread to other places in the body).
- The patient’s gender and general health.
- The blood level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), a substance found in the blood that may indicate cancer when the level is higher than normal.
For most patients with small cell lung cancer, current treatments do not cure the cancer.
If lung cancer is found, participation in one of the many clinical trials being done to improve treatment should be considered. Clinical trials are taking place in most parts of the country for patients with all stages of small cell lung cancer. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from NCI Web site.
1 Note: The text and images above are in the public domain and were reproduced or adapted from the websites of the National Cancer Institute (NCI): http://www.cancer.gov/ and http://visualsonline.cancer.gov/.