Management of Small Cell Lung Cancer: Progress and Updates

• Published in: The cancer journal (Sudbury, Mass.) Vol. 21; no. 5; p. 425
• Main Authors: Altan, Mehmet, Chiang, Anne C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.09.2015
• Subjects: Combined Modality Therapy; Disease Management; Humans; Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis; Lung Neoplasms - etiology; Lung Neoplasms - therapy; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Neoplasm Staging; Retreatment; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma - diagnosis; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma - etiology; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma - therapy; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1540-336X
• DOI: 10.1097/PPO.0000000000000148

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains a major public health problem and accounts for 10% to 15% of all lung cancers. It has unique clinical features such as rapid growth, early metastatic spread, and widespread dissemination. A platinum-etoposide combination is the backbone treatment of SCLC; addition of thoracic and prophylactic cranial irradiation has been shown to improve outcome in limited-stage SCLC and in subgroups of extensive-stage SCLC. Over the last decade, significant progress has been made in characterizing the SCLC tumor biology and its developmental pathways. Most recently, efforts have focused not only on molecular targets, but also on the development of novel drugs targeting tumor evolution and immune escape mechanisms; these approaches are promising and offer opportunities that may finally improve the outcomes of SCLC.