Metastatic small cell lung cancer: Symptoms, spread, and more - Medical News Today
Small cell lung cancer is an aggressive cancer that grows and spreads faster than other types of lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the least common type of lung cancer, comprising only 15% of all cases. This type of lung cancer tends to grow rapidly and spread early, making it more resistant to treatment. As a result, the disease has associations with more negative outcomes. This article describes what SCLC is, including its symptoms, outlook, and treatment. We also outline the process for diagnosing SCLC and highlight some factors that can influence its spread. SCLC is a type of cancer that begins in the neuroendocrine cells within the lungs. These cells receive messages from neurotransmitters and respond by releasing hormones into the blood. Medical experts sometimes refer to SCLC as oat cell cancer because its oval-shaped cells appear similar to oat grains under a microscope. SCLC is an aggressive type of cancer. Compared with other solid tumors, SCLC has links to one o...