Research has shown that SCLC has a doubling time in the range of 25–217 days. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) defines the doubling time as “the amount of time it takes for one cell to divide or for a group of cells, such as a tumor, to double in size.”
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a fast-growing type of lung cancer. It spreads much more quickly than non-small cell lung cancer.
SCLC is the most aggressive form of lung cancer. It usually starts in the breathing tubes (bronchi) in the center of the chest. Although the cancer cells are small, they grow very quickly and create large tumors.
Researchers put the tumors in three categories: Rapid growing, with a doubling time of less than 183 days: 15.8% Typical, with a doubling time of 183 to 365 days: 36.5% Slow growing, with a doubling time of over 365 days: 47.6%
Limited stage small cell lung cancer has a median survival of 12 to 16 months, with treatment. Extensive stage small cell lung cancer has a median survival of 7 to 11 months, with treatment.
Small cell lung cancer in the brain can occur when cells from a cancerous lung tumor break off and enter the lymph system or bloodstream. When the cells reach the brain, they can multiply and form a tumor, causing symptoms such as headache, vomiting, and seizures.
The 5-year relative survival rate for people with SCLC in the United States is 8% for women and 6% for men. The survival rates for SCLC vary based on several factors. These include the stage of cancer, a person's age and general health, and how well the treatment plan works.
Small cell lung cancer is a very aggressive illness. Without treatment, most people with small cell lung cancer die a few months after they're diagnosed. Healthcare providers can treat small cell lung cancer, but the disease often comes back.
Doctors use the same staging system for both non-small cell and small cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer usually is diagnosed at a later stage than non-small cell lung cancer. It often is diagnosed at stage 3 or 4.
Although small cell lung cancer is an aggressive disease, it responds well to initial chemotherapy and radiation.
Most small cell lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoking is clearly the strongest risk factor for lung cancer, but it often interacts with other factors. Smokers exposed to other known risk factors such as radon2 and asbestos3 are at even higher risk.
Small cell lung cancer tumors commonly metastasize to the brain, liver, bones, and distant lymph nodes, but also metastasize at lower frequencies in many other organs (Froudarakis, 2012; Nakazawa et al, 2012; Ryu et al, 2016; Bütof et al, 2017; Wang et al, 2020a) (Fig 1).
For patients who have small, early-stage lung cancer, the cure rate can be as high as 80% to 90%. Cure rates drop dramatically as the tumor becomes more advanced and involves lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
A small fraction of patients with small-cell lung cancer are cured of their original malignancy, but these patients remain at high risk for second cancers and death from other causes.
Additionally, the median survival time for those with stage 4 lung cancer is four months, meaning that 50% of patients will be alive only four months after their diagnosis. Sadly, this means that most patients experience a terminal stage 4 lung cancer prognosis.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy
Combined-modality treatment with etoposide and cisplatin with thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) is the most widely used treatment for patients with limited-stage disease (LD) SCLC.
The stage of SCLC and the patient's overall health influence prognosis. Although SCLC is treatable at any stage, only some people with certain stages of SCLC can be cured. Your doctor may use an index known as "performance status" to guide your treatment and determine your prognosis.
As with other histopathologic types of lung cancer, most cases of SCLC occur in individuals aged 60-80 years. Over the past two decades, the incidence of lung cancer has generally decreased in both men and women 30 to 54 years of age in all races and ethnic groups.
When cancer spreads from the lungs to the liver, doctors describe it as distant SCLC. Only around 3% of people with distant SCLC will survive for 5 years from when they receive a diagnosis.
Symptoms of brain mets in lung cancer
headaches. vomiting. alteration in consciousness. seizures.