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Lung cancer - small cell

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Lung cancer - small cell

Definition:

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor of the lungs. There are many types of lung cancer, but most can be categorized into two basic types, "small cell" and "non-small cell." Small cell lung cancer is generally faster growing than non-small cell, but more likely to respond to chemotherapy.

Small cell cancer is divided into limited stage (generally cancer confined to the chest) and extensive stage (cancer that has spread outside the chest).

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The traditional staging system, which divides cancer into stages I - IV, is not generally applicable to small cell lung cancer.

Alternative Names:
Cancer - lung - small cell; Small cell lung cancer

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Most lung cancers are caused by cigarette smoking. The more cigarettes you smoke per day and the earlier you started smoking, the greater the risk of lung cancer.

Second-hand smoke increases the risk. Government surveys show that as many as 3,000 people each year develop lung cancer from second-hand smoke. High levels of pollution, radiation, and asbestos exposure may also increase risk.

Lung cancer begins in cells that line the airways and often invade adjacent tissues or spread elsewhere in the body before symptoms are noticed.

About 20% of all lung cancer cases are small cell lung cancer, meaning about 30,000 patients each year are diagnosed with this disease.

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