Lung cancer - small cell
Definition
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a fast-growing type of lung cancer. It tends to spread much more quickly than non-small cell lung cancer.
There are three different types of small cell lung cancer:
- Small cell carcinoma (oat cell cancer)
- Mixed small cell/large cell carcinoma
- Combined small cell carcinoma
Most small cell lung cancers are the oat cell type.
Alternative Names
Cancer - lung - small cell; Small cell lung cancer; SCLCCauses
About 15% of all lung cancer cases are small cell lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Small cell lung cancer is a bit more common in men than women.
Smoking almost always causes small cell lung cancer. This type of lung cancer is rare in those who have never smoked.
Small cell lung cancer usually starts in the air tubes (bronchi) in the center of the chest. Although the cancer cells are small, they grow quickly and create large masses (tumors) that can rapidly spread to other parts of the body, including the brain, liver, and bone.
References
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2006. Atlanta, Ga: American Cancer Society; 2006.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Lung cancer screening. Ann Int Med. 2004;140:738-739.
Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKena WG. Clinical Oncology. 3rd ed. Orlando, Fl: Churchill Livingstone; 2004:1708-1722.
Jackman DM, Johnson BE. Small-cell lung cancer. Lancet. 2005;366:1385-1396.
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