Causes of Small-Cell Lung Cancer

• The leading cause of both small-cell lung cancer as well as non–small-cell lung cancer is tobacco smoking. Though, small-cell lung cancer is more strongly connected to smoking than non–small-cell lung cancer.
• Even secondhand tobacco smoke is a possibility factor for lung cancer.
• All types of lung cancers occur with increased rate of recurrence in people who mine uranium, but small-cell lung cancer is very common. The occurrence is increased further in persons who smoke.

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• Exposure to radon (an inert gas that increases from the decay of uranium) has been reported to cause small-cell lung cancer.
• Exposure to adds to the possibility of lung cancer by 9 times. A combination of asbestos exposure and cigarette smoking increases the possibility by as much as 50 times.

Staging of Small-Cell Lung Cancer

• Staging of the cancer does provide vital information regarding the outlook of the patient’s condition and helps the physician plan the finest treatment. Even though other cancers are staged from stage I to stage IV, small-cell lung cancer is categorized into 2 stages.

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o Limited stage: In this stage, the cancer is restricted to one side of the chest, the tissues between the lungs, and close by lymph nodes only.
o Extensive stage: In this stage, cancer has spread out from the lung to other organs of the body.