Understanding Small Cell Lung Cancer
Updated April 2026
Provides detailed information on SCLC including diagnosis and treatment options, clinical trials, and support.
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A tool for biomarker testing that can sequence (analyze) large amounts of genes quickly and accurately to see if there are any mutations or changes in cells
Gives a detailed view of the body to see the areas affected by cancer
A method of brain radiation that uses a very low dose of radiation on the entire brain to treat cancer that is too small to be seen
A type of surgery in which a small wedge-shaped piece of the lung is removed
Includes blood vessels, arteries, veins, and capillaries
Describes either the outer edge of the nodule or tumor or the outer edges of a section of tissue after surgery
A part of cancer diagnosis that describes how similar or different cancer cells look to healthy cells
A type of lung cancer that begins as NSCLC and then later changes or transforms into SCLC
A type of clinical trial that finds new drugs, treatments, and procedures to treat lung cancer
The tube that brings air from the mouth into the lungs
A method of maintaining the use of chemotherapy but using one that is different from the one used in the first line of treatment
Section of tissue removed by biopsy or surgery
A type of biopsy used for diagnosing lung cancer that uses a thin needle to remove fluid that may have gathered in the chest or outside of the lungs
A lobe or section of the brain that controls memory, speech, and hearing
A type of cancer treatment given by a pill or through a vein that works by attacking a “target” on cancer cells called a biomarker
Types of cancer treatment that work through the whole body at the same time
A type of clinical trial that finds new treatments to decrease the symptoms and side effects of lung cancer
"A health effect that cannot be seen by someone else but must be described by the person; for example, a headache is a symptom"
A type of radiation treatment that treats one small part of the brain or body with a very high dose of radiation using many small radiation beams
Make up the connective tissue of a gland or organ
A test that examines one or a small set of cancer-related genes
Used to color tissue to help pathologists better see and examine cells
Precancerous lesion (or spot) that may lead to squamous cell carcinoma
One of the most common types of NCSLC
A health professional who is highly trained in one special area of medicine
A nurse who is highly trained in one special area of medicine
A doctor who is highly trained in one special area of medicine
"A health effect that can be seen by someone else; for example, a rash is a sign"
A piece of the lung is removed that is larger than a wedge resection but smaller than an entire lobe
An unwanted effect of a drug or treatment
Making an appointment with a different cancer specialist to hear what that person feels is the best treatment for you
Treatment that is given when the initial treatment (first-line therapy ) is no longer working or stopped for other reasons
A type of clinical trial that develops new and better ways to detect lung cancer
Tests (such as an x-ray, CT, MRI, PET) that give a detailed picture of the body to see the areas affected by cancer
A type of cancer that begins in the tissues all over the body and can also be found in the lung
A type of bronchoscopy that uses a robotic controller, like a video game, to guide a small tube through the mouth and into the hard-to- reach areas of the lung
Something that increases the chance of a disease occurring such as being exposed to a toxin
A substance that puts out a very small amount of radiation that cancer cells absorb and makes them easier to see with some scans
A type of cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-ray beams to kill tumors
A blood clot that travels through the bloodstream into the lung
A type of brain radiation treatment is sometimes used to decrease the risk of cancer spreading to the brain
The first tumor where cancer began to grow
A type of clinical trial that explores how to prevent lung cancer
A type of surgery where the entire lung is removed
Cancer cells are found at the edge of the tissue, suggesting that all of the cancer has not been removed
An infection that can cause fluid or pus in the lung(s)
Intravenous line (IV): Soft, flexible tube placed inside a vein to take out blood or fluid or to give medicine or fluid
A treatment for pleural effusion that seals the lung to the lining to stop fluid from collecting
A diagnosis of fluid collecting in the tissue layers that surround the lungs
Space between the lining of the lungs
Lining that surrounds the lungs
Able to change shape or form
Tiny fragments of cells in the blood that clot and help stop bleeding
A doctor who specializes in diagnosing disease by examining tissue or body fluids
A lobe or section of the brain that processes our body’s senses
Make up the functioning tissue of a gland or organ
A group of services that help to prevent and/or relieve the side effects of cancer and cancer treatment with the goal to improve quality of life
A group of symptoms that occur as a result of cancer but are not directly related to the cancer cells and often involve the hormone system and/or neurological system
Immunochemistry marker that gives information about how aggressive cancer is and may help predict response to certain treatments
A lobe or section of the brain that allows us to understand what we see
A feeling of numbness or tingling pain, usually in the hands and/or feet
A cancer treatment that is given before surgery
Abnormal cell growth that can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer)
No cancer cells are found at the edges of the tissue, suggesting that all of the cancer has been removed
Cell death from injury, toxins, or infections
A change or damage that happens inside a cell that makes it unhealthy
Filled with mucus-like material (see also non-mucinous)
Uses a series of small incisions to allow insertion of a video camera and small instruments for removing cancerous tissue
A term that means cancer has spread from its initial spot to other organs
A diagnostic test that uses a tube with a camera, called a mediascope, to see inside the chest and around the outside of the lungs
A type of cancer that affects the lung
A term that means cancer
Groups of small pea-sized lymph nodes that clean the waste out of the fluid that passes through them
Spread of cancer to the blood vessels and/or lymphatic system
A type of surgery that removes several lymph nodes around a tumor to see if cancer cells are inside of them
Pea-sized part of the body’s lymph system whose job it is to clean the waste out of the fluid that passes through them
A buildup of fluid that causes swelling and can occur if you’ve had surgery and lymph nodes were removed
Cancer cells look a lot like normal cells and tend to grow and spread slower
Cancer treatments that remove or destroy cancer in a small area of the body
Cancer cells that look a lot like normal cells and tend to grow and spread slowly
A type of surgery that removes an entire lobe of the lung
Sections of the lung
Written instructions that inform family and healthcare team members what treatments you want and don’t want when end-of-life is near
A method of biopsy or biomarker testing that uses a blood sample rather than a tissue sample from a tumor to examine cancer cells
Cancer has spread beyond the layer of tissue in which it started and is growing into surrounding areas of tissue
One of the 3 most common types of NSCLC
The practice of using usual treatments along with complementary therapies
A group of people who make sure a clinical trial is safe and is being managed properly
Abnormal cells are found only in the place where they first formed and have not spread
The inability to conceive
The process of learning the details about a clinical trial to help you decide if you would like to join the study
The system within the body that recognizes and fights foreign cells and disease.
A type of cancer treatment that helps the body’s own immune system fight cancer
Increased cell production in normal tissue or an organ, which can be a sign of changes that happen before cancer develops
A group of services that are provided when an illness cannot be cured
Structure of the cells under the microscope
Cancer cells look very different than normal cells and tend to grow and spread faster
A protein in red blood cells that helps transport oxygen to other tissues in the body High-grade cancer: Cancer cells that look a lot different than normal cells and tend to grow and spread quickly
Inflammation in tissue, usually due to infection
A person you choose to make healthcare choices for you if you are not able to make them for yourself
A part of a cell that helps make the structure and function of the body
A lobe or section of the brain that controls our emotions and skills such as intelligence, reasoning, behavior, memory, sexual urges, and personality and helps with talking
The first treatment given for a disease or condition
A biopsy procedure that uses a small needle to remove cells from the tumor or area where cancer may be located to help with diagnosis
Surgery to remove
tube that carries food and liquid from your mouth to your stomach
An injection in the back to control pain
Cells in the body that put out hormones
A type of bronchoscopy test that uses electromagnetic energy and tiny instruments to steer a small tube through the mouth and into the lungs
A type of bronchoscopy test that uses a robotic controller, like a video game, that makes it easy to guide a small tube through the mouth and into the lungs into hard-to-reach areas
When 2 genes inside a cell stick together and create a new cancer-causing gene
The presence of abnormal (atypical) cells
A decision in writing that tells your healthcare team and family of your choices about getting help with restarting the heart if end-of-life is near
A “map” inside our cells that tells the cells what to do
A decision in writing that tells your healthcare team and family of your choices about getting help with breathing if end-of-life is near
How close the cancer cells look to normal cells
A blood clot that forms in a deep vein of the leg
A type of clinical trial that develops better tests for diagnosing lung cancer
When the body loses too much water and other fluids that it needs to work normally
The study of a single cell or small group of cells
An opening in the skull made during surgery to reach the brain
A biopsy procedure that uses a needle to remove a small piece of tissue from the tumor or area where cancer may be located
Infrequent bowel movements that are hard, dry, and/or not easy to pass
A method of using chemotherapy that continues using at least one of the drugs that were received during the first line of treatment
A test that uses cancer tissue or a blood sample (liquid biopsy) to look for all known mutations or changes in cancer cells at one time
A blood test that measures many types of blood cells
Treatments or therapies used along with usual cancer treatments and can include a mind-body approach or diet supplements
Two or more cancer treatments given at the same time
A combination of chemotherapy drugs that make up a treatment
Research studies that test a new drug or blend of drugs, procedure, or medical device to find our if it is safe and effective
A type of immunotherapy that works by blocking the immune cells from attaching to cancer cells
A type of cancer treatment that kills fast-growing and dividing cells
An area of the brain that helps our muscles work together so that we move smoothly
The number, size, and shape of the cells and how they look
The tiniest basic building blocks that make up your body
The number of cells in a sample
Cancer that begins in tissues that line or cover organs in the body
A type of cancer that can affect the lung that usually begins in the endocrine (hormone) cells and grows slowly
Medical term used to describe ongoing weight loss, muscle wasting, loss of appetite, and extreme fatigue (tiredness) that sometimes occurs in people with late-stage cancer
A procedure that places a flexible tube through the nose or mouth and into the tubes of the lungs to help diagnose lung cancer
Smaller air tubes that branch off from the larger air tubes (bronchi) inside each lung
The 2 main air tubes that branch off from the windpipe (trachea) and enter each lung
An imaging test that checks for cancer spread to the bones
Tissue inside the bone where blood cells are made
A test that looks for the type of changes or mutations inside cancer cells for the purpose of finding the best treatment
Protective barrier or “shield” that stops some substances from going into brain tissue
Mutations or changes inside cancer cells that make them different from healthy cells
A test or procedure that confirms cancer is or is not present and shows the exact type of cancer
A type of care meant for people who are grieving that can help identify feelings and work through emotions
A term that means not cancer
A type of bronchoscopy that uses a special light to make cancer or pre-cancer tissue appear in a different color than other tissue
Pre-cancerous lesion (or spot)
Not normal
Protein made by the immune system when foreign substances are found in the body
Cancer has spread to the lymph vessels or blood vessels
One of the most common types of non-small cell lung cancer
Treatments or therapies used instead of the usual, recommended treatment your cancer center offers
A formal, written plan that lets others know your future choices for healthcare and end-of-life care
Tiny air sacs at the end of each of the smallest air tubes in the lungs that bring oxygen into the bloodstream
A cancer treatment that is given after surgery