How is small cell lung cancer treated?

Making treatment decisions for small cell lung cancer

Depending on the stage of the disease and other factors, the main treatment options for people with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) include:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy

If you have small cell lung cancer, you will probably get chemotherapy if you are healthy enough. If you have limited stage disease, radiation therapy and – rarely – surgery may be options as well.

After the cancer is found and staged, your cancer care team will discuss your treatment options with you. It is important to take time and think about all of your possible choices. In choosing a treatment plan, one of the most important factors to consider is the stage of the cancer. For this reason, it is very important that your doctor order all the tests needed to determine the cancer's stage.

Other factors to consider include your overall health, the likely side effects of the treatment, and the probability of curing the disease, extending life, or relieving symptoms. Age alone should not be a barrier to treatment. Older people can benefit from treatment as much as younger people as long as their general health is good.

You may have different types of doctors on your treatment team, depending on the stage of your cancer and your treatment options. These doctors may include:

• A medical oncologist: a doctor who treats cancer with medicines such as chemotherapy.
• A pulmonologist: a doctor who specializes in medical treatment of diseases of the lungs.
• A radiation oncologist: a doctor who treats cancer with radiation therapy.
• A thoracic surgeon: a doctor who treats diseases in the lungs and chest with surgery.

Many other specialists may be involved in your care as well, including nurse practitioners, nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers, and other health professionals.

The next few sections describe the various types of treatments used for small cell lung cancer. This is followed by a description of the most common approaches used for these cancers based on the stage of the cancer.