The two major types of lung cancer are small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). SCLC accounts for about 13 percent of all lung cancers and is less common than NSCLC. However, SCLC is the more aggressive form of lung cancer for the reason that its cancer cells develop swiftly and readily spread to other parts of the body.
As a result, this condition is generally diagnosed only after cancer has spread throughout the body, making a recovery more challenging. However, if SCLC is detected early, it may be efficiently treated before cancer spreads.
Small cell lung cancer treatment plan often includes a combination of different types of cancer treatment options. The primary treatment for SCLC is chemotherapy. Additional treatment choices and recommendations are based on various criteria, such as the type and stage of cancer, potential side effects, and the patient's preferences and general health. You can also participate in several clinical trials taking place around the country to treat various types of lung cancer.
Small cell lung cancer is usually staged as limited (cancer is confined to one side of your chest) or extensive (cancer has spread to the other side of your chest). There are different types of treatment options based on the stages of SCLC.
If you have a single tiny tumor in your lung and no indications of cancer in your lymph nodes or elsewhere, surgery might be the best way to remove the tumor and any neighboring lymph nodes. After surgery, chemotherapy is usually put into treatment. If cancer is discovered in the excised lymph nodes, radiation therapy to the chest is also used regularly.
Surgery is not an option for most people with limited-stage SCLC because the tumor is either too big, in an inaccessible location, or has migrated to neighboring lymph nodes or other lobes in the same lung. If you have excellent health, the conventional treatment is chemotherapy followed by chest radiation (called concurrent chemoradiation).
SCLC patients who receive radiation treatment frequently complain of fatigue and loss of appetite. If radiation therapy is given to the neck or middle of the chest, you may develop symptoms such as a painful throat or trouble swallowing. You may also have sunburn-like skin irritation where the radiation was aimed.
However, most adverse effects fade quickly once therapy is completed. To be safe, radiation oncologists carefully design treatments utilizing chest CT images to reduce the quantity of healthy lung tissue exposed to radiation.
The use of drugs to eliminate cancer cells is known as systemic therapy. This drug is administered through the blood circulation to reach cancer cells throughout the body. There are two types of systemic therapies used for SCLC:
Chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells by preventing them from growing, dividing, and proliferating. It is given in a predetermined number of cycles over a certain period.
Immunotherapy, also known as biological therapy, increases the body's natural defenses against cancer. It uses components created by the body or in a laboratory to enhance, target, or restore immune system activity.
These are some of the treatment options for small cell carcinoma. If you want to know which treatment would suit you best, consult your doctor to proceed with the right treatment plan.
If you or your loved one is suffering from small cell lung cancer, contact us today. At Chesapeake Oncology-Hematology Associates, we have a team of expert oncologists specializing in chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy, and other cancer treatments to provide world-class care.
Also Read: How Can Radiation Therapy Be Used to Treat Breast Cancer?
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