Understanding Small Cell Lung Cancer

The following information is From The American Cancer Society. You can find information about all different types of cancer and resources on how to fight it at Cancer.org.

What is small cell lung cancer?

Lung cancer starts when cells of the lung become abnormal and begin to grow out of control. As more cancer cells develop, they can form into a tumor and spread to other areas of the body.


Types of lung cancer

The 2 main types of lung cancer are:

§ Small cell lung cancer (SCLC), which is sometimes called oat cell cancer. About 10% to 15% of lung cancers are SCLC.

§ Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which makes up about 85% to 90% of lung cancers. The 3 main types of NSCLC are adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma.

Small cell and non-small cell lung cancers are treated differently. The information here focuses on small cell lung cancer.

Small cell lung cancer stages


Understanding SCLC stages

The stage of a cancer describes how far it has spread. The stage is one of the most important factors in deciding how to treat the cancer and determining how successful treatment might be.


Limited versus extensive stage

For treatment purposes, most doctors use a 2-stage system that divides SCLC into limited stage and extensive stage. This helps determine if a person might benefit from more aggressive treatments such as chemotherapy combined with radiation therapy to try to cure the cancer (for limited stage cancer), or whether chemotherapy alone is likely to be a better option (for extensive stage cancer).

Limited stage

This means that the cancer is only on one side of the chest and can be treated with a single radiation field. This generally includes cancers that are only in one lung (unless tumors are widespread throughout the lung), and that might have also reached the lymph nodes on the same side of the chest.

Lymph nodes above the collarbone (called supraclavicular nodes) can be affected in limited stage as long as they are on the same side of the chest as the cancer. Some doctors also include lymph nodes at the center of the chest (mediastinal lymph nodes) even when they are closer to the other side of the chest.

What is important is that the cancer is confined to an area that is small enough to be treated with radiation therapy in one “port.” Only about 1 out of 3 people with SCLC have limited stage cancer when it is first found.

Extensive stage

This describes cancers that have spread widely throughout the lung, to the other lung, to lymph nodes on the other side of the chest, or to other parts of the body (including the bone marrow). Many doctors consider SCLC that has spread to the fluid around the lung to be extensive stage as well. About 2 out of 3 people with SCLC have extensive disease when their cancer is first found.


There are methods of classifying the stages of the cancer, but i can't remember the specifics of my Mother's and frankly, they are really confusing. If you want to read more about it, you can go here: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/lungcancer-smallcell/detailedguide/small-cell-lung-cancer-staging and read the full article.

Survival rates for small cell lung cancer, by stage

The numbers below are relative survival rates calculated from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER database, based on people who were diagnosed with SCLC between 1988 and 2001.

These survival rates are based on the TNM staging system in use at the time, which has since been modified slightly for the latest version. Because of this, the survival numbers may be slightly different for the latest staging system.

§ The 5-year relative survival rate for people with stage I SCLC is about 31%.

§ For stage II SCLC, the 5-year relative survival rate is about 19%.

§ The 5-year relative survival rate for stage III SCLC is about 8%.

§ SCLC that has spread to other parts of the body is often hard to treat. Stage IV SCLC has a relative 5-year survival rate of about 2%. Still, there are often treatment options available for people with this stage of cancer.

Remember, these survival rates are only estimates – they can’t predict what will happen to any individual person. We understand that these statistics can be confusing and may lead you to have more questions. Talk to your doctor to better understand your situation.



Last Medical Review: 02/22/2016

Last Revised: 02/26/2016



Chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer

Chemotherapy (chemo) is treatment with anti-cancer drugs injected into a vein or taken by mouth. These drugs enter the bloodstream and go throughout the body, making this treatment useful for cancer anywhere in the body.


When might chemotherapy be used?

Chemo is typically part of the treatment for small cell lung cancer (SCLC). This is because SCLC has usually already spread by the time it is found (even if the spread can’t be seen on imaging tests), so other treatments such as surgery or radiation therapy would not reach all areas of cancer.

§ For people with limited stage SCLC, chemo is often given along with radiation therapy. This is known aschemoradiation.

§ For people with extensive stage SCLC, chemo alone is usually the main treatment (although sometimes radiation therapy is given as well).

Some patients in poor health might not be able to tolerate intense doses of chemo. But older age by itself is not a reason to not get chemo.


Drugs used to treat SCLC

SCLC is generally treated with combinations of chemotherapy drugs. The combinations most often used are:

§ Cisplatin and etoposide

§ Carboplatin and etoposide (I know Etoposide was the first one my Mom was on. I believe Carbo was the other)

§ Cisplatin and irinotecan

§ Carboplatin and irinotecan

Doctors give chemo in cycles, with a period of treatment (usually 1 to 3 days) followed by a rest period to allow your body time to recover. Each cycle generally lasts about 3 to 4 weeks, and initial treatment is typically 4 to 6 cycles.

If the cancer progresses (get worse) during treatment or returns after treatment is finished, other chemo drugs may be tried. The choice of drugs depends to some extent on how soon the cancer begins to grow again. (The longer it takes for the cancer to return, the more likely it is to respond to further treatment.)

§ If cancer returns more than 6 months after treatment, it might respond again to the same chemo drugs that were given the first time, so these can be tried again.

§ If the cancer comes back sooner, or if it keeps growing during treatment, further treatment with the same drugs isn’t likely to be helpful. If further chemo is given, most doctors prefer treatment with a single, different drug to help limit side effects. Topotecan, which can either be given into a vein (IV) or taken as pills, is the drug most often used, although others might also be tried.

SCLC that progresses or comes back can be hard to treat.


Possible side effects of chemotherapy

Chemo drugs can cause side effects. These depend on the type and dose of drugs given and how long they are taken. Some of the more common side effects of chemo include:

§ Hair loss

§ Mouth sores

§ Loss of appetite

§ Nausea and vomiting

§ Diarrhea or constipation

§ Increased chance of infections (from having too few white blood cells)

§ Easy bruising or bleeding (from having too few blood platelets)

§ Fatigue (from having too few red blood cells)

These side effects usually go away after treatment. There are often ways to lessen these side effects. For example, drugs can help prevent or reduce nausea and vomiting.

Some drugs can have specific side effects. For example:

§ Drugs such as cisplatin and carboplatin can damage nerve endings. This is called peripheral neuropathy. It can sometimes lead to symptoms (mainly in the hands and feet) such as pain, burning or tingling sensations, sensitivity to cold or heat, or weakness. In most people this goes away or gets better after treatment is stopped, but it may last a long time in some people.

§ Cisplatin can also cause kidney damage. To help prevent this, doctors give lots of IV fluids before and after each dose of the drug is given.

To learn more about chemo, see the Chemotherapy section of the ACS's website.



Last Medical Review: 02/22/2016

Last Revised: 02/26/2016

I Think that's enough for today. I will post more information later.

When My World Started To Fall Apart

Me and Mom. My favorite Picture of us

So, I guess everything started to fall apart when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer on March 23rd, 2006. It was a small mass on her right breast.
I was 18 at the time, living the "adult" life. It shocked us both. Thankfully, that diagnoses wasn't as bad as it could have been. It was a very mild form. They did some radiation, removed the mass and some lymph nodes and my mom was onto a speedy recovery. Afterwards, we basically put it behind us. No harm done, right?
 I put it into the back of my mind and now realize I don't know if she ever did.
Even now looking back, I realize I was selfish. 
Some might say, "Well, you were young and had other things on your mind!" And that may be true, but i never stopped to think that someday that "C" word may come back to haunt us. 

She was my Super Woman, my hero. 
Nothing could touch her.
She was always there and in my mind, she always would be.

She did as a mother does and always put me first and I took it for granted.

As time went on, my health took a turn for the complicated, and she had some issues going on as well. So we started trading off doctor appointments. She went to the many appointments i had for my multiple hernia surgeries, then through me fracturing my back. I went to her check ups with the Oncologists, regular doctor and heart doctor. So the years went by and our relationship grew stronger.

Then, July 19th, 2009, I got a call from my Mom from the Sunoco where she was working. She was having trouble breathing and her chest was hurting. Fearing a heart attack (she had stents put in in 2005), I went and picked her up and took her to the hospital. After 3 days of being admitted, the doctors revealed they had found a mass in her chest on her bronchial tubes.

So we made our first appointment with and Oncologist at UPMC Cancer center near our house.

His name was Dr Kane, and after our first visit with this horrible man, I yanked my Mom out of there and switched her to a different Doctor. I won't get into details about our visit with him, but anyone who feels it's ok to talk to a patient and their family like he talked to us, should not be in the medical field. If i would've left my Mom under his care, she would've succumbed to the cancer a lot sooner.

My Mom's new Doctor, Megaludis (Who i will refer to as Dr M from now on), was a blessing to both of us. She was patient, answered all of our questions, and gave us hope that we could beat it.

Then, the day before Thanksgiving, 2009, we got the results back from 2 different biopsy's on the mass.

It was Stage 4 Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Very high mortality rate

Very high risk of metastasizing.

I can't remember if we went to my Aunt's for Thanksgiving that year or not.

I called off work and took my Mom Black Friday Shopping for the first time. She had never gone and wanted to see what the fuss was all about.  Her Chemotherapy was set to begin Mid-December. She would be going through Chemo through Christmas and into the New Year.

She would go 3 days a week. Her longest day was the first day. She had 2 different medicines to be administered. Her last 2 days only bag on of medicine had to be administered. Friday's we would go in to get her NuLasta shot to keep her white cell count up. Then for 2 weeks we go once a week to check her blood count. She had 6 sessions of Chemo to go through.

That's enough for today. The next post will be about Small Cell Lung Cancer to help you understand what we were faced with.

The Early Years

(My Grammy and my Mom)

All in all, I had a pretty great life growing up.

My mom bent over backwards doing for me. Although I never got to join any sports or do any extra activities because of money, I don’t think I had it too bad.

We had the ups and downs I imagine a lot families had. My mother suffered from depression so the days when she was adjusting to different medication was taxing to say the least, but that isn’t what this blog is about

We use to read bedtime stories before bed when I was little. Then when I began to read, I would read them to her. To this day I still love to read.

She always bought these huge oversized towels. In the winter when it was really cold, she would put mine in the dryer till I was done in the bath, then go grab it and wrap me up in it on her lap. She would finish by telling me a funny story or singing to me. My favorite was always “You are my sunshine”

We use to color together, paint things, craft things. Christmas was always my favorite. She always had fun crafts to do like wreaths, ornaments, and stuffed things. Our tree was a massive over-decorated beacon of light. We had a fake tree and my mother would individually wrap each branch with a strand of lights. By the time she was done we could have probably lit the neighborhood with that tree, but damn it was pretty. Our cat loved it too. Along with all of the other decorations we would put up. Our house was a throw up of knick-knacks, wall hangings, lights, garland, and whatever else my mother could find to decorate.

And the baking! So many cookies and breads I don’t know how we ate them all. Our favorite was always pizzelle’s. I would always eat the batter and get yelled at. My grandmother would come out and she would always leave with a ‘goodie’ bag. On most of the holidays we would travel out to my Aunt’s house since she lived right by my grandmother and we would have holiday dinner. I miss seeing the look of happiness that mom had then.

Family always meant a lot to mom. After my uncle died in 96 it put a big strain on my family. He was the youngest out of the three and my mom the oldest. It took a toll on my grandmother too. Uncle Boo was her favorite. I remember a little about him but not a lot. I was too young and he wasn’t around much. He lived in Florida for a long time and I use to think he was an alligator wrestler (although far from the truth. He actually ran heavy machinery, which was ultimately what killed him). I wish I could have known him better. He was there for my mom when I was born (when no one else in the family was) and they were pretty close.

I don’t remember my pap being around much when I was younger. I remember him coming around a lot more a few years after my uncle died (My pap and grandmother split years ago and never talk. I think my grandmother dislikes him. A lot). From what my mom told me about Pap, he wasn’t much of a husband or much of a father when my mom was growing up either. He liked to drink. I don’t know why my grandmother left him. I’ll have to ask her one day. My mom was the only one of them that still talked to him. He had a lot of wild stories to tell.

I think that’s enough for today. 

Everything has A Beginning

Yeah, you guessed it. That's me. 

First day in the new world. Completely oblivious to the life I would lead in my future. I imagine the only thing i'm thinking of is why the hell is everything so bright (I still hate light when I get up in the morning) and where's my food.

My mother had me on in the middle of summer in 1986 at the age of 35. My uncle Boo and My Aunt Anita (My mothers best friend) stood vigil in the room where i was born. My mom always referred to my father as a sperm donor.

I wouldn't find out till I was 24 that he was married when he got my mom pregnant. My mother wasn't supposed to be able to have kids so boy was I a surprise. She never told my father about me. She figured I was her miracle and no one was going to try to take that from her.

I don't regret her decision at all.

My mom worked full time at the magistrates office and I got dropped off to a baby sitter. We lived a little shit hole of a town on a shit hole little street. By the time I was able to go outside by myself to our little 10x10 back yard, the neighborhood starting getting bad.

I watched a very drunk walk down our street stripping and yelling profanity's to the world and i watched a girl not much older than me get hit by a car on her bicycle. My babysitter at the time decided to get completely smashed one day while watching me so I ran away down to a friend's house. I remember the worry on my mother's face that day. And the anger. She ripped that woman a new one. 

The last straw for my mom was when a "mad dog" started running down the back alley where of us kids play. There was a truck full of guys just shooting at it. With kids running around. Needless to say my mom had it.

In July of 95 we moved into our new house. I was 9 years old

It was in the middle of the country. A lot different than what I was use to living in town. There were cows next door. COWS. I thought this was the greatest ever. I made 2 friends that summer and they introduced me to the dairy farm behind my house. After that, you couldn't get me away from there. I would go over and help Mike (one of the owners) clean the stalls for the cows, give them feed, and watch as he milked them. I would play with the barn cats and give them cream. I even got to watch a calf being born! My best friend at the time was the farm dog. His name was Norman. 

Norman was a free spirit. He roamed anywhere his heart desired. But if he was with me, he stayed by my side. I had a protector. Life was good.

Right before my first year at a new school (4th grade) i was playing in the hay loft and fell. I landed on my hip and bruised it pretty bad. I ended up on crutches for my first day of school.

That was how I made my first Best friend. She helped me carry my books to class and after that we were inseparable.

Now since I've gotten off track already...

My mother still worked full time and busted her ass to give me what she could. We never had a lot of money. The only reason she was able to build this house was because of the USDA home loans they offered at the time.

But our life was good. 

We had (i would like to think) a typical mother-daughter relationship of good times, bad times, hard times, and sad times. We would fight, we would cry, and we would make up. My teenage years were the worse. I look back now and realize I was a little bitch. But you can't change the past. I learned a lot growing up. I never did drugs (tried Weed once tho, i HATED it). I did drink, but I was one of the few that stayed where I was and never drove. My mother gave me a lot of freedom, some of it I'm sure I didn't deserve, but I think it's that freedom that made me the person I am today. There were a lot of things that were said between the two of us in those days I am sure we both wished we could take back but that's neither here nor there now. 

I graduated high school and entered the Adult world.

I never realized exactly how much she sacrificed for me until I got older.

But that's for another time.