Making up about twenty percent of the two types of Lung Cancer, small-cell lung cancer carcinoma is rarer. Correlating non-small cell lung cancer to small-cell lung cancer, small-cell lung cancer is aggressive and spreads quicker therefore, the average time of survival for a patient is several months less without treatment.

Types: There many types of Small-cell lung cancer, which differ by their look under the microscope.It is still unclear whether they have different prognosis.

Small-cell Lung Cancer is divided into 3 stages depending at what intensity has cancer reached.

Stages	Symptoms	Diagnosis	Treatments
Limited Stage: Limited stage Cancer is found only in one lung and in nearby lymph nodes. (Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures that are found throughout the body. They produce and store infection-fighting cells.)	-New or changing cough, sometimes with blood -Recurrent lung infections -Hoarseness -Shortness of breath -Increased sputum -Weight loss -Swelling of face or arms -Fatigue	Chest x-ray Blood tests Imaging Biopsy Microscopy Sputum cytology Bronchoscopy Fine needle aspiration biopsy Thoracentesis	Could be a combination of chemotherapy: multiple drugs are much more effective than single-agent. Radiation therapy: given at the same time as chemotherapy, this may improve survival rate. Surgery: A small % of patients with very early stage disease may benefit.
Extensive stage: Cancer has spread outside of the lung where it began to other tissues in the chest or to other parts of the body.	-The same as above, and /or -Severe headaches -Double vision -Weight loss -Pain in bones chest, abdomen or neck	The same as above, and / or -Scans -Endoscopy/ Biopsy	Could be a combination of chemotherapy: Different combinations may be more effective than others. Radiation therapy: this may help relieve symptoms or with metastatic disease (brain, bone) but it is not necessary to the chest.
Recurrent stage: Recurrent disease means that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it has been treated. It may come back in the lungs or in another part of the body.	Any of the above plus others.	The same as above.	Palliative therapy: pain relief and orthopedic aids. Investigational drugs/ clinical trials

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