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About Lung Cancer | Diagnosis | Types

Small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer worldwide.

Of the 220,000 new cases diagnosed each year, Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) accounts for 15% of cases. As an aggressive form of lung cancer, better therapies are needed desperately.

SCLC Research Update

New Treatment for Small Cell Lung Cancer

Dr. Sands and Maida emphasize the critical role of innovative therapies and clinical trials in transforming small cell lung cancer care, encouraging patients to explore all available options for the best outcomes.

What is Small Cell Lung Cancer, and why is it so tough to treat?

Small cell lung cancer is one of the two major types of lung cancer – the other type being non-small cell lung cancer. SCLC is an uncontrolled proliferation of small cells in the lung. In contrast, NSCLC occurs in non-small cells like glandular cells in the case of adenocarcinoma, or squamous cells, like in squamous cell carcinoma. About 15% of all lung cancer cases are classified as SCLC, also known as oat cell cancer, and usually presents more aggressively than NSCLC.

There are a few factors that contribute to the difficulty in treating SCLC. Since lung cancer screening is generally uncommon and symptoms usually don’t present themselves until the later stages, patients don’t know that they have SCLC until it’s more difficult to treat. And once the diagnosis is known, the disease is particularly problematic because the particular mutations in SCLC suppress the natural mechanism our cells have to stop uncontrolled cell growth.

Although SCLC initially responds well to standard treatment protocol, aggressive chemotherapy, it usually has only short-term effects. It is not long before the disease returns and is even faster growing than before treatment. The life expectancy for a patient diagnosed with SCLC is under one year.

Learn about the SCLC research underway

These are grim and frightening statistics. The good news is that the scientific world is giving more attention to SCLC now than ever before. Research, both in the lab and clinical trials, has led to the most significant strides in treatment in the past 30 years. Scientists are gaining a deeper understanding of the disease which can result in discovering new treatment options.

  • Thanks to a huge amount of preclinical work happening now and in the pipeline, we are finding better and different ways to study small cell lung cancer.

    Christine M. Lovly, M.D., Ph.D. at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

  • We have a much better understanding of the biology of small cell lung cancer thanks to lab studies demonstrating the biological part of the disease. This translates into 'therapeutic hope.'

    Dr. Charles M. Rudin, MD, PhD at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

    Seek out the many clinical trials currently underway across the US

    Dr. Lovly and Dr. Rudin encourage patients to learn more about options for finding a trial that may be right for them.

    Start your search

    FDA-Approved Treatments for Small Cell Lung Cancer

    Types

    • Tarlatamab-dlle (Imdelltra)

      Tarlatamab is given to small cell lung cancer patients who have already tried chemotherapy but whose cancer has come back or spread.

      This injectable medicine is an antibody that targets a protein on cancer cells called DLL3. By attaching to DLL3, tarlatamab helps the body’s immune system find and destroy the cancer cells. In a clinical trial, some patients who received tarlatamab had their tumors shrink or disappear for some time.

      Approved for: SCLC

      Biomarkers: SCLC

      FDA Approval Date: 05/16/2024

      Used in: SCLC

    • Nivolumab (Opdivo/Opdivo Injection)

      Nivolumab (Opdivo/Opdivo Injection) is a FDA-approved CombinationTherapy for Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) that has metastasized. It is used in patients whose cancer got worse after treatment with platinum chemotherapy and at least one other therapy.

      Approved for: SCLC

      Biomarkers: SCLC

      FDA Approval Date: 08/01/2018

      Used in: SCLC

    • Lurbinectedin (Zepzelca)

      Small cell lung cancer that is metastatic. It is used in adults whose disease has gotten worse during or after treatment with platinum chemotherapy. *This use is approved under FDA’s Accelerated Approval Program. As a condition of approval, a confirmatory trial(s) must show that lurbinectedin provides a clinical benefit in these patients.*

      Approved for: SCLC

      Biomarkers: SCLC

      FDA Approval Date: 12/21/2024

      Used in: SCLC

    • Pembrolizumab (Keytruda)

      Small cell lung cancer that has metastasized. It is used in patients whose disease got worse during or after treatment with platinum chemotherapy and at least one other therapy.

      Approved for: SCLC

      Biomarkers: SCLC

      FDA Approval Date: 03/01/2020

      Used in: Immunotherapy

    • Etoposide

      Etoposide is a chemotherapy drug primarily used to treat small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and sometimes applied in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases. It works by targeting the enzyme topoisomerase II, which is essential for cancer cell division and growth. By disrupting this enzyme, etoposide causes DNA breaks in cancer cells, ultimately leading to their death. With a long-standing track record in lung cancer treatment, etoposide is recognized for its effectiveness.

      Approved for: NSCLC, SCLC

      Biomarkers: SCLC

      FDA Approval Date: 01/01/1983

      Used in: Chemotherapy

    • Carboplatin (Paraplatin)

      Carboplatin, also known as Paraplatin, is a chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of lung cancer, effective against both non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). It disrupts the DNA replication in cancer cells, leading to their death. It can be employed as part of combination chemotherapy to enhance effectiveness, used after surgery to eliminate residual cancer cells, or given before surgery to shrink tumors for improved surgical outcomes. Additionally, carboplatin plays a role in palliative care for advanced lung cancer. First approved by the FDA in 1989, it has a proven track record in clinical practice over the past three decades.

      Approved for: NSCLC, SCLC

      Biomarkers: SCLC

      FDA Approval Date: 01/01/1989

      Used in: Adjuvant Therapy, Combination Therapy, SCLC

    • Topotecan Hydrochloride (Hycamtin)

      Topotecan hydrochloride, marketed as Hycamtin, is a chemotherapy drug primarily used in the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The FDA first approved topotecan in 1996 for the treatment of patients with SCLC after disease progression following initial chemotherapy. It works as a topoisomerase I inhibitor, interfering with DNA replication in cancer cells. Topotecan is typically used in the second-line setting for SCLC patients whose disease has recurred or progressed after first-line treatment. It can also be considered in combination with other agents in certain cases.

      Approved for: SCLC

      Biomarkers: SCLC

      FDA Approval Date: 01/01/1996

      Used in: SCLC

    Screening is No Small Matter

    The earlier lung cancer is detected, the more treatment options are available to you. Hear from Dusty and Maida about the importance of getting screened.