small cell lung carcinoma

(noun)

Small-cell carcinoma (sometimes known as "small-cell lung cancer," or "Oat-cell carcinoma") is a type of highly malignant cancer that most commonly arises within the lung, although it can occasionally arise in other body sites, such as the cervix, prostate, and gastrointesinal tract.

Related Terms

Examples of small cell lung carcinoma in the following topics:

  • Lung Cancer

    • The main types of lung cancer are small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), also called oat cell cancer, and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).
    • The non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) are grouped together because their prognosis and management are similar.
    • There are three main sub-types: squamous cell lung carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell lung carcinoma.
    • Adenocarcinoma accounts for 40% of non-small cell lung cancers.
    • Damage to chromosomes 3p, 5q, 13q, and 17p are particularly common in small-cell lung carcinoma.

  • Spinal Cord Compression

    • Tumors that commonly cause cord compression are lung cancer (non-small cell type), breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, thyroid cancer, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
    • Some tumors are highly sensitive to chemotherapy (e.g. lymphomas, small-cell lung cancer) and may be treated with chemotherapy alone.

  • Skin Cancer

    • The three main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (the most common of all cancers), squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
    • Basal cell carcinoma usually presents as a raised, smooth, pearly bump on the sun-exposed skin of the head, neck, or shoulders.
    • Sometimes small blood vessels can be seen within the tumor.
    • Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is commonly a red, scaling, thickened patch on sun-exposed skin.
    • The mortality rate of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma is around 0.3%, causing two thousand deaths per year in the U.S.

  • Immunotherapy for Cancer

    • Cell-based immunotherapy is another major entity of cancer immunotherapy.
    • This involves immune cells such as the natural killer cells (NK cells), lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK cells), cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), and dendritic cells (DC).
    • GD2 is expressed on the surfaces of a wide range of tumor cells, including neuroblastomas, medulloblastomas, astrocytomas, melanomas, small-cell lung cancer, osteosarcomas, and other soft tissue sarcomas.
    • The injected immune cells are highly cytotoxic to the cancer cells and so help to fight them.
    • Topical immunotherapy utilizes an immune enhancement cream (imiquimod), which is an interferon producer, causing the patient's own killer T cells to destroy warts, actinic keratoses, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous T cell lymphoma, and superficial spreading melanoma.

  • Cervical Cancer

    • Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, arising in the squamous (flattened) epithelial cells that line the cervix.
    • Adenocarcinoma, arising in glandular epithelial cells is the second most common type.
    • Very rarely, cancer can arise in other types of cells in the cervix.
    • In advanced disease, metastases may be present in the abdomen, lungs or elsewhere.
    • This large squamous carcinoma (bottom of picture) has obliterated the cervix and invaded the lower uterine segment.

  • Laryngitis and Cancer of the Larynx

    • Laryngeal cancer may also be called cancer of the larynx or laryngeal carcinoma.
    • Most laryngeal cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, reflecting their origin from the squamous cells which form the majority of the laryngeal epithelium.
    • Distant metastasis to the lung are most common.
    • The larynx may be examined by indirect laryngoscopy using a small angled mirror with a long handle (akin to a dentist's mirror) and a strong light.
    • For small glottic tumors further imaging may be unnecessary.

  • Overview of Cancer

    • For example, patients with lung cancer often present with symptoms including breathlessness and chronic cough, but can vary widely between patients.
    • Carcinoma: Cancers derived from epithelial cells.
    • This group includes many of the most common cancers, particularly in the aged, and include nearly all those developing in the breast, prostate, lung, pancreas, and colon.
    • Typically, changes in multiple genes are required to transform a normal cell into a cancer cell.
    • A tumor present in the lung is marked via the black box.

  • Basement Membranes and Diseases

    • This is achieved by cell-matrix adhesions through substrate adhesion molecules (SAMs).
    • The basement membrane also acts as a mechanical barrier, preventing malignant cells from invading the deeper tissues.
    • Early stages of malignancy that are thus limited to the epithelial layer by the basement membrane are called carcinoma in situ.
    • Basement membrane proteins have been found to accelerate differentiation of endothelial cells.
    • It is caused by a mutation in the integrin α6β4 cell-adhesion molecule on either the alpha or beta subunit.

  • Defective Viruses

    • Not all viruses can reproduce in a host cell by themselves.
    • Since viruses are so small, the size of their genome is limited.
    • Satellites depend on co-infection of a host cell with a helper virus for productive multiplication.
    • These viruses that are dependent on the presence of other virus species in the host cell are called satellites.
    • Cirrhosis leading to hepatocellular carcinoma (autopsy specimen).

  • Colorectal Cancer

    • Colorectal cancer, commonly known as bowel cancer, is a cancer from uncontrolled malignant cell growth in the colon, rectum, or appendix.
    • Colorectal cancer, commonly known as bowel cancer, is a cancer from uncontrolled malignant cell growth in the colon, rectum, or appendix .
    • If there are only a few metastases in the liver or lungs they may also be removed.
    • The two most common sites of recurrence if it occurs are in the liver and lungs.
    • The interior surface of the colon shows an invasive colorectal carcinoma and two adenomatous polyps.