Small Cell Lung Cancer

There are three stages for small cell lung cancer. It is considered limited, extensive, or recurrent.

Limited Stage: Cancer is found in one lung and in nearby lymph nodes.

Treatment may well be one of the following:

• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the upper body/chest
• Chemotherapy with or without prophylactic cranial irradiation
• Surgery followed by chemotherapy with or without prophylactic cranial irradiation
• Clinical trials testing new drugs and new treatments
  

Extensive Stage: Cancer has spread away from the lung to other tissues and organs in the chest and other parts of the body.

Treatment may be one of the following:

• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the upper body/chest
• Radiation therapy to places in the body where the cancer has spread
• Clinical trials testing new drugs and new treatments
  

Recurrent Stage:

Recurrent cancer is cancer that has returned. It may reappear in the lungs or in another part of the body. Treatment for reoccurrence can include be one of the following:

• Radiation treatment
• Chemotherapy
• Laser treatment, radiation therapy or surgical implant of devices to keep the airways open
• Clinical trial testing of new drugs