ARTICLES

Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small Cell Lung Cancer is second only to breast cancer in terms of deaths. There are about 175,000 reported cases of Small Cell Lung Cancer in the U.S. each year. Of these, about 160,000 will result in the death of the patient. Small Cell Lung Cancer is so deadly because it is hard to catch in time. Small Cell Lung Cancer develops in cells that are actually so small that they do not show up on normal x-rays. By the time they are found the cancer is usually already into an advanced state.

The leading cause of Small Cell Lung Cancer is smoking. Smokers run a much higher chance of contracting Small Cell Lung Cancer as compared to non-smokers. Anyone who is a smoker should see a doctor for regular examinations.

The best chance someone has if they contract Small Cell Lung Cancer is catching it early. Those who catch the cancer in the first stage of development have up to a 40% chance of survival with the correct treatment.

There are two forms of lung cancer, Small Cell Lung Cancer and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer is the least dangerous of the two. About 50% of the lung cancer cases reported are Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. These are treatable. Patients often see a full recovery. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer has 5 stages of development. The recovery percentages decrease the more advanced it becomes.

Small Cell Lung Cancer only has two stages: mild and severe. When it reaches the severe state it spreads very rapidly throughout the body. This is why it is much tougher to fight. By the time Small Cell Lung Cancer is detected it is usually in the severe stage. At this point most patients only have 18-20 months to live.

While surgery plays the most important part in the treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, chemotherapy is always the chosen treatment for Small Cell Lung Cancer. In the case of limited stage SCLC, radiation therapy may also be used as the cancer is still localized to the chest area where radiation can be focused...