Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small Cell Lung Cancer - An aggressive cancer which forms in the tissues of the lung. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) often starts in the bronchi, and tends to spread widely to lymph nodes and other organs in the body. SCLC is classified according to how the cancer cells look under a microscope, and how they grow and spread. The three types of small cell lung cancer include: small cell carcinoma (oat cell cancer), mixed small cell/large cell carcinoma, and combined small cell carcinoma. Small cell lung cancer comprises about 10-15 percent of all lung cancers. The other, more common, type of lung cancer is called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Smoking is the greatest risk factor for small cell lung cancer. Also called oat cell carcinoma and small cell undifferentiated carcinoma.

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