Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment

Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment

There are mainly two kinds of lung cancer: small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. 80% of lung cancer is usually non-small cell lung cancer. It can grow in bronchial tube lining, air sacs, mucus glands or outer edges of one's lungs. In distinction, small cell lung cancer normally involves out-sized, small cells that start in the bronchi in the middle of the chest that multiply faster to form large tumors that can spread all over one's body. This kind of lung cancer is normally caused by smoking always. With the many patients who are diagnosed by the disease, 97% are normally older than 45 years.

Even though the two forms of lung cancer are sturdily connected to smoking, 90% of people with SCLC are previous or current smokers. After the cancer cells have developed in one's body, they will discharge hormones that can act autonomously to cause disorder in the system and then spread the cancer anyhowly. This is at times known as paraneoplastic phenomenon.

Small cell lung cancer treatment is just similar to that of non-small cell even though it has some few exceptions. Because of some difficulties in detecting this kind of cancer when it is still in its early stages, at the time it is diagnosed, this kind of cancer is usually advanced. As a matter of fact, several studies indicate that 40% of small cell lung cancer is usually diagnosed at a later stage. The present treatment methods are built on diagnosis. When it comes to SCLC, it is either extensive or limited in that it is still relatively localized. Extensive means that it has been metastasized. For few patients, the tumor can be removed surgically.

Most doctors usually use chemotherapy as a first line protocol in most of SCLC cases. Second line therapies might include surgery and internal or external radiation. External radiation usually focuses on high beams in areas that are affected from outside of the body. Some of the side effects if this procedure include peeling of the skin, irritation and extreme fatigue.

Another small cell lung cancer treatment option is brachytherapy or radiotherapy. The procedure is normally used to shrink the tumors that cause extreme discomfort, or in combination with the first line treatment. One new method that is being used by doctors nowadays is stereotactic external radiotherapy. This method focuses on high doses of outward energy on detailed areas. Currently, all kinds if small cell lung cancer is normally attacked with either one or two of the above methods.