Small cell lung cancer is a form of lung cancer characterized by the formation of a malignant tumor with the rapid development of metastases in the body.
Unlike other forms, this type of cancer is the worst, occurs rarely (in 20% of the total number of pathologies) and has a very unfavorable prognosis.
So, a tumor is a malignant degeneration of epithelial tissue, which provokes a violation of air exchange. This provokes hypoxia and the rapid formation of metastases. Small cell lung cancer is determined by the rapid course, resulting in a high rate of death.
Etiology and causes of development
The presented pathology carries the danger of death for the patient's life, and already during the first 2-3 months after diagnosis. The malignant transformation of epithelial tissues entails the rapid and rapid formation and growth of a tumor, which can be localized both in the organ itself and in the bronchial system.
The distinctive characteristics of the small cell form include rapid metastasis. First, metastases affect the lymphatic system - the lymph nodes. Then they "go beyond", affecting the internal organs and even the spinal cord and brain of a person.
Depending on the type of tumor, the course of the disease is somewhat different. So, the nodular nature of the development of the tumor leads to damage to the pulmonary arteries, as a result of which their walls thicken significantly. In the process of development, the level of hormones serotonin, calcitonin, antidiuretic increases. Hormonal activity is the cause of the formation of metastases.
The rapid course of the disease leads to the fact that almost all patients suffer from already advanced stages - this leads to a lack of the proper effect of treatment.
Tobacco smoking contributes to the development of a deadly pathology, therefore, men aged 40 to 70 years are mostly distinguished among the sick. In recent years, the dynamics of cases of small cell lung cancer among women has begun to increase sharply - this is due to the increase in women who smoke.
Small cell lung cancer develops due to the following reasons:
To protect yourself as much as possible from the development of small cell lung cancer, you should protect yourself from harmful substances and stop smoking.
Symptoms and types
Symptoms of SCLC include:
As the pathology progresses, the cough becomes paroxysmal and persistent. Gradually, when coughing, sputum begins to separate, in which streaks of blood are noticeable. The last stages are characterized by an increase in body temperature. If the tumor has affected the superior vena cava, the patient has an unhealthy swelling of the upper part - the face and neck. Metastases often affect the liver, which is manifested by the development of jaundice.
Small cell carcinoma, depending on the location of the tumor, is divided into the following types:
Depending on the localization of a malignant tumor, its increase and further development depend. So, the peripheral and apical view quite quickly “overgrows” with metastases - this is due to the contact of the circulatory system.
stages
Like any cancer, small cell lung cancer is divided into 4 stages. They directly indicate the features and development of the pathology at the moment of the course of the disease:
Stage 4 is determined by a serious lesion and significant development of metastases in the human body. Basically, the liver is isolated here - jaundice occurs, bones - aching bones and other lesions.
Diagnostics
If you find yourself with the symptoms presented above, you should immediately consult a doctor, since the diagnosis of pathology at stages 3 or 4 will not lead to effective treatment. Among the diagnostic measures include the following methods of examination:
It is important for the patient to undergo a complete examination to determine not only a cancerous tumor, but also the spread of cancer cells throughout the body. This makes it possible to prescribe a course of treatment to maintain the work and partial recovery of organs with metastases. The examination can give an approximate prognosis for recovery and the effectiveness of treatment.
Treatment
Treatment of small cell lung cancer occurs in three ways, where they are isolated:
- chemotherapy;
- Medical treatment;
- Surgical intervention.
In the course of treatment, it is possible to approximately give a prognosis for recovery, the patient's life expectancy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer is the basis of all treatment. The presented procedure is applied at any stages, and especially at stages 1,2 and 4. In the initial stages, the destruction of cancer cells partially guarantees the prevention of the formation of metastases. At stage 4 of the disease, chemotherapy can somewhat alleviate the fate of the patient and prolong his life.
Chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer is carried out as the main method of treatment or in combination with additional radiation. After the first course, it is possible to determine the prognosis of life expectancy in 2-3 months.
Localized cancer of the right or left lung requires 2-4 courses of chemotherapy. For treatment, drugs Etoposide, Cyclophosphamide, Cisplatin and others are used.
Medical treatment
Treatment with drugs is more aimed at maintaining already affected organs. Here, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics are prescribed to prevent the reproduction of the infection. If metastases are found in the liver, a drug is prescribed to protect and restore cells - Essentiale.
In the presence of damage to brain cells, drugs are used that saturate the cells with oxygen - Glycine, from the more serious Pantogam and others.
As a rule, the treatment of small cell lung cancer with medication does not bring a positive result. Even if the disease was detected at an early stage, the only way to get rid of cancer cells is through surgery.
Surgical intervention
Surgery is almost always used - it is important to remove a malignant tumor in time. In the presence of stage 1 or 2, the prognosis for an increase in life expectancy is quite favorable.
For the complete removal of cancer cells, complex treatment is used - removal of the tumor and chemotherapy. With a favorable outcome, the patient can extend his life by 5-10 years, or even completely cope with the disease.
If small cell lung cancer was detected at stage 3-4 with extensive damage to the internal organs of the body, specialists do not always resort to surgical intervention - there is a high risk of death even during the operation.
To begin with, the patient is prescribed a full course of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Partial elimination of cancer cells and reduction of metastases favorably influences the decision on operable treatment.
A 45-year-old man came to the clinic with complaints of a persistent dry cough without other accompanying symptoms of a cold. The patient was recommended to undergo an examination - to take a picture of fluorography, to donate blood for analysis. When considering the data obtained, a tumor was found in the lung cavity measuring 2.5 cm. Blood tests indirectly indicated the malignancy of the detected tumor. In addition, sputum was taken for laboratory analysis, as well as a biopsy of the tumor itself.
The results showed that the patient was rapidly developing small cell lung cancer, because in the presence of a cough, the man did not stop smoking.
The patient was sent to the hospital in the oncology department. He underwent a course of chemotherapy, and then proceeded to remove the tumor. By preventing the formation of metastases, the specialists extended the life of the patient. 6 years have passed since the operation, the man regularly undergoes examinations, quit smoking, takes appropriate medications to maintain the body. The results of the tests deny a relapse, but it cannot be completely ruled out, since the remission of a cancerous disease can last up to 10-15 years.
Of course, when an oncological pathology is detected, patients are more interested in how long they live in such cases. It is impossible to answer exactly, since everything depends on the circumstances inherent in the moment of diagnosing the disease.
When a tumor is detected in the initial stages, the survival rate is more than 50% with partial remission and 70-90% with complete remission. But if the patient refuses chemotherapy, he shortens his life - on average, the duration is estimated as 10-12 weeks in the absence of timely treatment.
It is important to regularly undergo examinations and, if unpleasant symptoms occur, contact a specialist. You should not refuse the prescribed treatment after the diagnosis of small cell lung cancer - this form of oncological pathology develops rapidly, where a day of delay can cost a person life.
Small cell lung cancer is considered a fairly common disease among men. It is quite difficult to determine such a form at the initial stages, but if it is detected in time and treated, then the patient has every chance of favorable prognosis.
Small cell lung cancer is characterized by increased malignancy, an aggressive course, and a tendency to extensive metastasis. Therefore, if you do not identify it in the early stages of progression and do not start timely treatment, then the patient will die. The share of such cancer accounts for a quarter of cases of the total number of pulmonary pathologies.
The concept of the disease
So, small cell lung cancer is a malignant tumor formation, prone to rapid progression and extensive.
Such oncology is characterized by a latent, asymptomatic onset, so it often happens that patients fall into the hands of specialists when the disease is already in an advanced stage.
More often, pathology is found in patients of the stronger sex, although in recent years the disease has also begun to affect the beautiful half, which is most likely due to the spread among women.
Types
Small cell lung oncology is divided into two pathological forms:
- small cell carcinoma- this is a rather unfavorable oncoprocess, which is characterized by rapid and aggressive development with extensive metastases, therefore the only treatment option is combined polychemotherapy;
- Combined small cell carcinoma- this type of oncology is characterized by the presence of signs of adenocarcinoma in combination with the symptoms of squamous and oat cell cancer.
The reasons
The main cause of pulmonary small cell oncology is. The degree of risk of developing such a pathology is largely determined by the age characteristics of the patient, the number of cigarettes smoked throughout the day, smoking experience, etc.
The presence of nicotine addiction increases the likelihood of oncological processes in the lung tissues by 16-25 times. In addition to smoking, the following factors can provoke cancer:
- Pulmonary pathologies like obstruction, tuberculosis, etc.;
- Unfavorable environmental conditions;
- hereditary predisposition;
- Work in a hazardous environment.
Exposure to radiation can also become a trigger for the occurrence of a cancerous tumor in the lungs.
Symptoms
As previously reported, pathology rarely manifests itself in the initial stages of development, therefore it is detected at the stage of active progression, accompanied by such symptomatic manifestations:
- The occurrence of an inexplicable cough, gradually worsening and not amenable to treatment;
- Refusal to eat, weight loss;
- Tendency to frequent pulmonary pathologies such as pneumonia or bronchitis;
- Excessive fatigue and fatigue, shortness of breath;
- Chest pains that tend to increase in intensity with laughter, coughing, or deep breathing;
- Sudden rises in temperature, up to a feverish state;
- Over time, with a cough, rusty-brown or red mucous sputum begins to stand out, hemoptysis;
- Extraneous whistling sounds when breathing.
Unusual signs of lung cancer are described in this video:
With extensive growth of the tumor, additional symptoms also appear, such as ossalgia, jaundice, neurological manifestations, swelling of the supraclavicular and cervical lymph node structures.
The large size of the formation has a depressing effect on neighboring systems, causing additional soreness, puffiness of the face, problems with swallowing, intractable hiccups, etc.
Stages and prognosis in small cell lung cancer
Small cell forms of lung cancer develop according to the following scenario:
- Stage 1 - oncology is localized, the formation is located only in one part of the chest and the regional lymph node system. At this stage, the disease responds positively to radiation if its volume and intensity are chosen correctly;
- Stage 2 is manifested by generalization of the tumor process, which spreads beyond one chest half and regional lymph nodes, growing throughout the body. In this case, the prognosis is often unfavorable.
Diagnosis
The diagnostic process is based on several research procedures:
- Fluorographic examination;
- Bronchoscopy procedure;
- tumors;
- X-ray examination;
- or MRI, diagnosing.
Principles of treatment
Such treatment is recommended to be combined with, involving the irradiation of primary tumor foci and lymph node structures. A combined approach to the treatment of small cell lung cancer helps to prolong the life of a cancer patient by 2 years.
If the small cell tumor is widespread, then at least 5-6 chemotherapy courses are indicated. If metastases have penetrated into the bone, brain, adrenal structures, then they resort to radiation treatment.
Although small cell lung cancer is characterized by increased sensitivity to polychemotherapeutic and radiation exposure, the likelihood of relapse is quite high.
Patient life expectancy
If left untreated, lung cancer is 100% fatal.
Predicting the life expectancy of patients with small cell lung cancer depends on the development of the oncological process and the correctness of its therapy.
If small cell lung oncology is detected at the beginning of pathology, then the number of survivors in a five-year period will be about 21-38%. When detected in advanced stages 3.4, the survival rate is a maximum of 9%.
If during the course of treatment there is a tendency to a decrease in tumor parameters, then oncologists regard this phenomenon as a favorable sign, because the patient has good chances for a long life - with a partially remission result, the survival rate will be about 50%, with a complete one - 70-90%.
Disease prevention
An excellent measure for the prevention of lung cancer is to get rid of nicotine addiction, and passive smoking should also be avoided. No less important is the prevention of pulmonary pathologies and general organic infections.
It is necessary to include gymnastics, morning exercises, fitness or jogging in the daily routine. Such a measure will favorably affect the pulmonary system and help control your weight.
If you have addictions like drinking or it is recommended to get rid of them. If the profession is associated with the production of increased hazard, then you need to follow safety precautions and use personal protective equipment.
Once a year, you need to undergo preventive fluorography, which will help in a timely manner to detect the oncological processes that have begun in the lungs, if any.
Video of the scientific and practical conference on small cell lung cancer:
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is one of the most severe forms of cancer. First of all, because of the fast and dynamic development. In addition, statistics indicate that this type of cancer is quite common - it covers about 25% of all lung cancers. Smoking men are at particular risk (95% of confirmed diagnoses), and if we consider the age limit, the disease affects mainly people over 40 years old.
Smoking is considered the main and most significant cause of the appearance of small cell cancer, and the main aggravating factors are the person's age, smoking experience and the volume of cigarettes smoked per day. Since nicotine addiction is increasingly affecting women, it is not surprising that the incidence of this type of cancer among women has increased.
But equally important risk factors include:
- difficult working conditions (interaction with Ni, Cr, As);
- poor ecology in the place of residence;
- genetic predisposition.
In addition, pathology often occurs after tuberculosis or against the background of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Now the problem of the histogenesis of the disease is considered from two sides - neuroectodermal and endodermal. Adherents of the latter theory believe that this type of oncology develops from bronchial epithelial cells, which have a similar biochemical composition to small cell carcinoma cells.
Experts who adhere to the neuroectodermal theory believe that such an oncological disease appears from the cells of the diffuse neuroendocrine system. It should be noted that the presence of neurosecretory granules in the tumor cells, an increase in the concentration of hormones and the release of bioactive substances speaks of the logic of this version. But it is impossible to say for sure why this type of oncology occurs, since there have been cases when the pathology was diagnosed in people who adhere to a healthy lifestyle and do not have an oncological predisposition.
External manifestations
As a rule, the first manifestation of this pathology is a prolonged cough. It is often mistaken for smoker's bronchitis. A particularly alarming sign for a person should be the appearance of blood streaks in the sputum. In addition, with such a pathology, shortness of breath, chest pain, poor appetite, all-encompassing weakness and causeless loss of body weight are quite often noted. Sometimes the disease can be mistaken for obstructive pneumonia, so careful diagnosis is very important.
Prolonged hacking cough - the first manifestation of SCLC At stages 3-4, new unpleasant symptoms are connected: hoarseness of the voice due to paralysis of the vocal nerves and symptoms of compression of the superior vena cava. Paraneoplastic symptoms may also be noted: Cushing's syndrome, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, inadequate secretion of antidiuretic hormone. In addition, this pathology is typically characterized by earlier appearance of metastases in the intrathoracic lymph nodes, liver, adrenal glands, bones and brain. In such circumstances, symptoms will appear that indicate the localization of metastases (jaundice, pain in the spine or head).
Classification of the disease
The division into stages of this disease is identical to that for other types of lung cancer. But until now, this type of oncology is characterized by a division into a limited (localized) and widespread stage of the disease. The limited stage is characterized by the defeat of the tumor process on one side, with a concomitant increase in the supraclavicular, mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. In the case of a common stage, there is a capture by the formation of the other half of the chest, the appearance of pleurisy and metastases. Unfortunately, more than half of patients have this particular form of small cell cancer.
If we consider the morphology, then inside small cell oncology there are:
- oat cell carcinoma;
- cancer from cells of an intermediate type;
- mixed (combined) cancer.
In the first case, the formation is formed by layers of the smallest spindle-shaped cells with round and oval nuclei. For cancer of the intermediate type, rather large rounded, oblong and polygonal cells are typical, with a clear structure of the nucleus. As for combined cancer, they talk about it when oat cell carcinoma is detected with manifestations of adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.
Diagnosis of pathology
In order to correctly assess the extent of the spread of pathology, clinical studies (visual assessment of the physiological state) are often combined with instrumental diagnostics. The latter includes 3 stages.
- Visualization of manifestations of pathology by means of radiation techniques: X-ray of the sternum, CT of the lungs, positron emission tomography.
- Morphological confirmation: bronchoscopy, biopsy, diagnostic thoracoscopy, pleural puncture with fluid withdrawal. Further, the biomaterial is also sent for histological and cytological examination.
- At the last stage of research, they try to exclude distant metastases. For this purpose, MRI of the brain, MSCT of the peritoneum and bone scintigraphy are performed.
Chest x-ray - the first step in the diagnosis of SCLC Treatment
The division of pathology into stages helps specialists to navigate how to treat it and outlines the possibilities of its surgical or conservative treatment. It should be noted right away that the surgical method of treating small cell lung cancer is used only in the initial stages of cancer. But it is necessarily accompanied by several courses of postoperative chemotherapy.
To date, the treatment of small cell lung cancer in this way shows quite good results.
If the patient refuses complex therapy and chemotherapy in particular, then with such a malignant lung formation, his life expectancy is unlikely to exceed 17 weeks.
It is customary to treat the disease with the help of 2-4 courses of polychemotherapy with the use of cytostatic agents. For example:
- Etoposide;
- Cisplatin;
- Vincristine;
- Cyclophosphamide;
- Doxorubicin.
This type of treatment is combined with radiation. The action of radiation therapy lends itself to the initial foci of education and lymph nodes. If a patient undergoes a course of this combined treatment against small cell lung cancer, then the prognosis for his life expectancy improves - a person can live two years longer. However, it is important to understand that 100% healing in this case is impossible.
When the pathology is widespread, the patient is prescribed at least 5 courses of polychemotherapy. If there is a spread of metastasis to the adrenal glands, brain and bones, then a course of radiation therapy is also strongly recommended. Although small cell type of lung cancer has an extremely increased sensitivity to polychemotherapeutic treatment and radiation, nevertheless, there is still a rather high risk of recurrence.
After completion of therapy, the patient is advised to undergo systematic examinations in order to timely detect the secondary spread of oncology. However, if relapses of small cell carcinoma are resistant to antitumor therapy, then a person's life expectancy is rarely more than four months.
Forecast
The first question that interests patients with a confirmed diagnosis of small cell lung cancer is how long they live with a similar disease. Without complex therapy for this type of oncology, the development of the pathological process invariably leads to death. It is foolish to expect that the disease will pass on its own. With small cell lung cancer, the patient's life expectancy directly depends on the correctly chosen treatment, as well as the intensity of the development of the pathological process.
If the disease is detected at the initial stage, then a five-year survival rate is observed in 22-39% of patients. When this type of oncology is detected at the terminal stage, only 9% of patients reach the five-year milestone. When doctors observe a decrease in size during treatment, most experts agree that this is a favorable sign.
In this case, the patient has a good chance of a longer life expectancy. Even if the therapy led to only a partial remission effect, the survival rate is 50%. If it was possible to achieve complete remission, then 70-90% of patients survive to the five-year milestone. Therefore, even with such a depressing diagnosis, one should not despair and give up.
Cancer is a malignant neoplasm that destroys healthy cells of the body as a result of mutation. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, its most common location is the lungs.
According to its morphology, lung cancer is divided into non-small cell (including adenocarcinoma, squamous, large cell, mixed) - about 80-85% of the total incidence, and small cell - 15-20%. Currently, there is a theory of the development of small cell lung cancer as a result of the degeneration of the cells of the epithelial lining of the bronchi.
Small cell lung cancer is the most aggressive, characterized by early metastasis, latent course and the most unfavorable prognosis, even in the case of treatment. Small cell lung cancer is the most difficult to treat, in 85% of cases it ends fatally.
The early stages are asymptomatic and are more often determined by chance during preventive examinations or contacting the clinic with other problems.
Symptoms may indicate a need for testing. The appearance of symptoms in the case of SCLC may indicate an already advanced stage of lung cancer.
Reasons for development
- Small cell lung cancer is directly related to smoking. Longtime smokers are 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers. 95% of patients with small cell lung carcinoma are male smokers over 40 years of age.
- Inhalation of carcinogenic substances - work in "harmful" industries;
- Unfavorable ecological situation;
- Frequent or chronic lung disease;
- Weakened heredity.
Not smoking is the best prevention for small cell lung cancer.
Symptoms of lung cancer
- Cough;
- Dyspnea;
- Noisy breathing;
- Deformity of the fingers "drumsticks";
- Dermatitis;
- Hemoptysis;
- weight loss;
- Symptoms of general intoxication;
- Temperature;
- In the 4th stage - obstructive pneumonia, secondary signs appear from the affected organs: bone pain, headaches, confused consciousness.
Signs of pathology may differ depending on the location of the initial neoplasm.
Small cell carcinoma is more often central than peripheral. Moreover, the primary tumor is radiographically detected extremely rarely.
Diagnostics
When identifying the primary signs of pathology on fluorography and according to clinical indications (smoking, heredity, age over 40 years, gender, and others), more informative diagnostic methods recommended in pulmonology are used. Main diagnostic methods:
- Visualization of the tumor by radiation methods: radiography, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET-CT).
- Determination of tumor morphology (i.e. its cellular identification). To conduct a histological (cytological) analysis, a puncture is taken using bronchoscopy (which is also a non-radiation imaging method), and other methods of obtaining material.
SCLC stages
- Neoplasm less than 3 cm in size (measured in the direction of maximum elongation), located in one segment.
- Less than 6 cm, not extending beyond one segment of the lung (bronchus), single metastases in nearby lymph nodes
- More than 6 cm, affects the near lobes of the lung, the adjacent bronchus, or exits into the main bronchus. Metastases spread to distant lymph nodes.
- Cancer neoplasia can go beyond the lung, with growth in neighboring organs, multiple distant metastasis.
International TNM classification
Where T is an indicator of the state of the primary tumor, N - regional lymph nodes, M - distant metastasis
T x - data are insufficient to assess the state of the tumor, or it has not been detected,
T 0 - the tumor is not identified
TIS- non-invasive cancer
and from T 1 to T 4 - stages tumor growth from: less than 3 cm, to a value where the size does not matter; and stages of location: from local in one lobe, to the capture of the pulmonary artery, mediastinum, heart, carina, i.e. before growing into neighboring organs.
N is an indicator of the state of regional lymph nodes:
N x - data are insufficient to assess their condition,
N 0 - no metastatic lesion was found
N 1 - N 3- characterize the degree of damage: from nearby lymph nodes to those located on the side opposite the tumor.
M - the state of distant metastasis:
M x - insufficient data to determine distant metastases,
M0- no distant metastases were found
M 1 - M 3 - dynamics: from the presence of signs of a single metastasis, to going beyond the chest cavity.
More than 2/3 of patients are stage III-IV, so SCLC continues to be considered according to the criteria of two significant categories: localized or widespread.
Treatment
In the case of this diagnosis, the treatment of small cell lung cancer directly depends on the degree of damage to the organs of a particular patient, taking into account his history.
Chemotherapy in oncology is used to form the boundaries of the tumor (before its removal), in the postoperative period to destroy possible cancer cells and as the main part of the treatment process. It should reduce the tumor, radiation therapy should fix the result.
Radiation therapy is ionizing radiation that kills cancer cells. Modern devices generate narrow beams that minimally injure nearby areas of healthy tissue.
The need and sequence of surgical methods and therapeutic methods is determined directly by the attending oncologist. The goal of therapy is to achieve remission, preferably complete.
Therapeutic procedures - early stages
Surgical intervention is, unfortunately, the only way to remove cancer cells today. The method is used at stages I and II: removal of the entire lung, lobe or part of it. Postoperative chemotherapy is a mandatory component of treatment, usually with radiation therapy. In contrast to non-small cell lung cancer, in the initial stage of which it is possible to confine oneself to tumor removal /. Even in this case, the 5-year survival does not exceed 40%.
The chemotherapy regimen is prescribed by an oncologist (chemotherapist) - drugs, their dosages, duration and quantity. Evaluating their effectiveness and based on the patient's well-being, the doctor can adjust the course of treatment. As a rule, antiemetic drugs are additionally prescribed. Various alternative treatments, dietary supplements, including vitamins, can worsen your condition. It is necessary to discuss their reception with the oncologist, as well as any significant changes in your health.
Medical procedures – 3,4 stages
The usual scheme for localized forms of more complex cases is combined therapy: polychemotherapy (poly means the use of not one, but a combination of drugs) - 2-4 courses, it is advisable in combination with radiation therapy for the primary tumor. When remission is achieved, prophylactic irradiation of the brain is possible. Such therapy increases life expectancy by an average of 2 years.
With a common form: polychemotherapy 4-6 courses, radiation therapy - according to indications.
In cases where tumor growth has stopped, we speak of partial remission.
Small cell lung cancer responds very well to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and radiotherapy. The insidiousness of this oncology is the high probability of relapses, which are already insensitive to such antitumor procedures. Possible course of recurrence - 3-4 months.
Metastasis occurs (cancer cells are carried with the bloodstream) to organs that are most intensively supplied with blood. The brain, liver, kidneys, adrenal glands suffer. Metastases penetrate the bones, which, among other things, leads to pathological fractures and disability.
If the above methods of treatment are ineffective or impossible (due to the age and individual characteristics of the patient), palliative treatment is performed. It is aimed at improving the quality of life, mainly symptomatic, including pain relief.
How long do people live with SCLC
Life expectancy directly depends on the stage of the disease, your general health and the methods of treatment used. According to some reports, women have better sensitivity to treatment.
A short-term illness can give you 8 to 16 weeks if you are unresponsive to or refuse therapy.
The treatments used are far from perfect, but it increases your chances.
In the case of combined treatment in stages I and II, the probability of a 5-year survival (after five years we speak of complete remission) is 40%.
At more serious stages, life expectancy with combination therapy increases by an average of 2 years.
In patients with a localized tumor (i.e. not an early stage, but without distant metastasis) using complex therapy, a 2-year survival rate is 65-75%, a 5-year survival rate of 5-10% is possible, with good health - up to 25%.
In the case of advanced SCLC - 4 stages, survival up to a year. The prognosis of a complete cure in this case: cases without relapses are extremely rare.
Afterword
Someone will look for the causes of cancer, not understanding what it is for him.
Believers endure the disease more easily, perceiving it as a punishment or test. Perhaps this makes them feel better, and may it bring peace and strength of mind in the struggle for life.
A positive attitude is essential for a favorable treatment outcome. Only how to find the strength to resist pain and remain yourself. It is impossible to give the right advice to a person who has heard a terrible diagnosis, as well as to understand it. It's good to have family and friends help you.
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Approximately 20% of the total number of diseases. Over the past few years, the number of patients has decreased. This is partly due to the fact that the composition of cigarettes and the air inhaled have changed. The disease in most cases appears from smoking.
General information about the disease
Small cell refers to malignant tumors, accompanied by an aggressive course and metastasis. The metastatic process is very active. Already in the early stages of the disease, metastases can be detected in the lymph nodes. 95-100% of lesions occur in the intrathoracic nodes, 20-45% in the liver, 17-55% in the adrenal glands, 30-45% in the bones, and up to 20% in the brain.
The choice of oncology treatment method depends on the type of metastasis. According to statistics, 90% of patients are men. The age of patients varies from 38 to 65 years. To live with such a diagnosis to the patient from a year to 5 years. In medicine, there are 2 types of small cell cancer:
- Mixed carcinoma.
- Small cell carcinoma.
Small cell to other body tissues. It is called oat cell because of the specificity of the type of cellular structure. Lung adenocarcinoma is characterized by slow growth, but is still considered one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. Small cell carcinoma is also known as low-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma.
Most often, this disease belongs to the first type. There is also a two-stage classification of pathology:
- Localized process, which is limited to one side of the lung. As a rule, the disease is in stages 1, 2 or 3.
- A common form of oncology (the disease is at stage 4).
There are a number of factors that provoke the appearance of a malignant disease:
- Tobacco smoking. The likelihood of the onset of the disease is affected by the age of the smoker, the number of cigarettes smoked per day, the quality of tobacco, and the time of smoking. Even if a person gives up smoking, he will still remain at risk. Smokers with SCLC are 2 times more than non-smokers. Those who smoke from adolescence onwards are 32 times more likely to have the disease.
- Heredity. A person's blood may contain a specific gene that provokes the appearance of lung cancer. Those whose parents or close relatives had small cell cancer are especially likely to get the disease.
- environmental factors. Waste from enterprises, heavy metals enter the body with air, thereby causing harm to health.
- Harmful working conditions. People who have prolonged contact with toxic substances, such as nickel, asbestos, arsenic, chromium, suffer from oncology more often than representatives of other professions.
Signs of pathology
The oncological process in this case is specific in that it proceeds almost asymptomatically until the neoplasm is localized in the lungs. The course of the disease is characterized by common symptoms characteristic of a wide range of diseases. Among the symptoms characteristic of the early stage of the course of the disease, one can distinguish:
- the presence of a cough;
- hoarse breathing;
- pain in the chest area.
Later symptoms of the course of the disease include:
- coughing up blood;
- headache;
- back pain;
- hoarseness in the voice;
- difficulty swallowing.
The most characteristic symptom of SCLC is a persistent cough that is difficult to control. Later, it is accompanied by painful sensations in the chest and expectoration of bloody discharge. A specific sign of SCLC is the presence of shortness of breath along with a cough. This is due to impaired functioning in the vessels and capillaries of the lungs.
Stages 2 and 3 are characterized by the appearance of fever, elevated body temperature, which is difficult to bring down. Pneumonia can be a precursor to cancer. Bleeding from the lungs is an unfavorable symptom, which indicates that the tumor has grown into the pulmonary vessels. This is a sign of advanced disease.
An increase in the tumor leads to the fact that neighboring organs also begin to suffer due to oppression. As a result, a person may feel pain in the back, limbs, swelling in the arms and face, hiccups that cannot be stopped. Metastases affecting organs give additional symptoms.
If the liver is affected, jaundice, pain in the ribs may appear. The metastatic process in the brain leads to numbness of the limbs up to paralysis. Bone metastases are accompanied by aching joints. In addition, a person begins to lose weight rapidly, there is a feeling of fatigue and lack of strength.
Diagnosis of the disease
Before a direct diagnosis of cancer, the doctor examines the patient, listens to the lungs, and collects an anamnesis. Among the procedures aimed at, we can distinguish:
- scintigraphy of the bones of the skeleton;
- radiography of the chest area;
- complete blood count;
- computed tomography;
- analysis of the functioning of the liver;
- magnetic resonance imaging;
- positron emission tomography;
- sputum analysis;
- pleurocentesis.
Taking into account the peculiarities of the clinical course, mandatory examination methods (fibrobronchoscopy, computed tomography of the lungs, ultrasound examination of regional zones, abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal space) of patients with a morphologically confirmed diagnosis include radionuclide diagnostics of skeletal bones, laboratory examination of the bone marrow and tomography of the brain.
Treatment Methods
In official medicine, small cell lung cancer is treated using the following methods:
- Operational intervention. This type of treatment is indicated only in the early stages of the disease. After the operation, the patient undergoes a course of chemotherapy. For patients in this group, the predicted life expectancy is more than 5 years (in 40% of patients).
- Radiation therapy. With the successful application of the method, the tumor regresses in 70-80% of patients, but life expectancy does not increase if applied alone.
- . In the treatment of small cell lung cancer, this method is not so effective. Only 30-45% of patients report improvement.
Treatment may vary depending on the type of disease.. With a localized form of cancer, the effectiveness of treatment is observed in 65-90% of patients. Life expectancy is over 2 years.
If a patient has a localized form of cancer, they may be given radiation therapy with chemotherapy. When the patient improves, then he is additionally given brain irradiation. With the combined method of treatment, the two-year survival rate is 40-45%, the five-year survival rate is 25%. For patients suffering from a common form of SCLC, chemotherapy is performed, radiation therapy is done only on the recommendation of a doctor. The efficiency of this method is about 70%.
When asked how long they live with this disease, the answer is ambiguous. If the patient started therapy at the initial stage, his survival can reach 5 years. Treatment of small cell lung cancer depends on the stage of the disease, its form, and the condition of the patient. The choice of method is the main part that determines the success of therapy in general.
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