Small Cell Lung Cancer is a type of Lung Cancer that can be defined as the uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cells in the lungs. The lungs are a pair of soft organs located within the chest cavity, which primarily helps in respiration, oxygenation of blood and expulsion of harmful gasses from the body. While this fast-growing cancer can affect anyone, it chiefly impacts people who have a long history of tobacco usage, specifically smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco. The condition can be treated to provide a long healthy life if the prognosis and treatment are carried out in the early stage. But the ultimate way to prevent small cell lung cancer is to permanently stop smoking.
main

Also Read: Tracheal Cancer: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Types

Small cell lung cancer can be categorised into two main types:

  • Small-cell carcinoma (oat cell cancer)
  • Combined small-cell carcinoma

Both types of SCLC include different types of cells that grow and metastasize in different ways. They are usually named depending on how the cells look under a microscope.

Causes

Although the ultimate reason behind Small cell lung cancer is still under research, most scientific case studies indicate that it mainly ensues when there are certain mutations or changes in the genetic code of the DNA of the lung cells. These mutations incite the healthy lung cells to grow and multiply uncontrollably without perishing on time like the healthy ones. This leads to an agglomeration of abnormal cells into malignant tumours in the lung tissue. The cancerous tumours often break free from the original site and may spread to the lymph nodes, bones, liver, brain and adrenal glands via the lymphatic fluid. Small-cell lung cancer may also cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs or the space around your lungs. This accumulation of fluid can forcefully expel air out of the lungs making it collapse and leading to a condition called pleural effusion.

Also Read: Laryngeal Cancer: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Risk Factors

Certain typical risk factors that upsurge the risk of Small cell lung  cancer include:

Gender:  Men are more commonly diagnosed with Small cell lung cancer than their female counterparts

Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits: Constant smoking or extreme addiction towards tobacco or alcohol aggravates the chances of Small cell lung cancer

Exposure To Secondhand Smoke: Living with a person who smokes or staying close to a smoker increases the risk of small cell lung cancer

Exposure To Carcinogens: Individuals who are regularly exposed to carcinogens like asbestos, arsenic, chromium, nickel or other toxins are more at risk of developing Small cell lung cancers

Susceptibility To Radon: Routine exposure to radon at the workplace or home increases the risk of this type of cancer

Previous Cancer: Individuals who have had a personal or family history of lung cancer have a higher incidence of Small cell lung cancer

Dietary Habits: Individuals who follow a diet lacking nutritious food options and fluids, and composed of junk, salt-cured products have a higher incidence of Small cell lung  cancer

Symptoms

The characteristic symptoms of Small cell lung cancer include:

  • Chronic cough that doesn’t go away on its own
  • Changes in the voice or hoarseness
  • A sudden sore throat
  • A continuous urge to clear the throat
  • Frequent chest infections
  • Fever accompanied by chills
  • Coughing up blood
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Wheezing
  • Stridor or having a high-pitched breathing
  • Difficulty in breathing and swallowing (dysphagia)
  • Facial swelling
  • Unintended weight loss
  • Fatigue

Diagnosis And Treatment

If you notice any of the aforementioned indications, speak with an oncologist for early diagnosis and treatment right away. The doctor usually does a thorough physical checkup, acknowledges the patient's family and personal medical history, and history of carcinogenic exposure followed by a series of diagnostics including:

  • Blood tests
  • Pulmonary function testing
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Thoracentesis
  • Radionuclide bone scan
  • Imaging procedures like X-ray, CT-scan, MRI-scan, PET-scan, Video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) and Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)
  • Mediastinoscopy
  • Biopsy

Stages

There are primarily two stages of small cell lung cancer are:

Limited stage: This stage indicates that the cancer is present in one of the lungs and may have metastasized to an area between the lungs or the lymph nodes just above the collarbone. Approximately 1 out of 3 people detected with small cell lung cancer have limited-stage cancer at the time of diagnosis.

Extensive stage: In this stage, cancer has aggressively spread to the other lung or beyond your lung tissue to the lymph nodes. It may also have spread to the bones, brain tissue and other distant organs.

Treatment

After correctly staging the Small cell lung cancer, and knowing the size, and location of the tumour and the condition of the patient, the team of treating doctors decides upon the best possible treatment to deal with the malignant tumour to grant the patient a long and healthy life. The available treatment options for the treatment and management of Small cell lung cancer include:

  • Surgery
  • Radiation therapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Immunotherapy
  • Targeted drug therapy
  • Rehabilitation
  • Palliative care

Prevention

Certain lifestyle modifications that reduce the risk of Small cell lung cancer include:

  • Quit smoking
  • Evade consumption of tobacco in any form
  • Avoid second-hand smoke
  • Eat a healthy, nutritious, well-balanced diet
  • Take an adequate quantity of water
  • Practise routine exercise
  • Install a mitigation system to remove the presence of radon from the home
  • Protect yourself from carcinogenic chemicals like arsenic, asbestos, and nickel both at work and at home