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Small cell lung cancer

I was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer in July, 2021. Was a previous smoker (quit when diagnosed) but no scans for 3 years. I asked for a scan, which is so very important to do because it was caught early and was eligible for surgery. (Was told most of the time small cell is NOT diagnosed until end stage.) I also had preventative chemo & whole brain radiation. Just had my 2nd CT scan with no sign of cancer--praying it stays this way but very depressed having to live with and knowing that small cell very aggressive in spreading, but thankful every day I asked my Doctor for my scan and quit smoking..please take this advice.

  1. First, congratulations on quitting smoking! Fantastic to hear you have no evidence of cancer, thank you for sharing the encouraging news with us. I know the fear and worry about the cancer returning, but there have been so many advances in the small cell arena lately that hope is real! Wishing you continued clear scans! Warmly, Alisa, LungCancer Team Patient Leader

    1. Great, I hope your wife has succcess in getting you the medication. In the meantime, at least the Lorazepam seems to help some.

    2. We are here to share and help each other, who else can really understand what we go through but us.

  2. Thank you

    1. God bless you, I hope the scans continue to be good. I was diagnosed with small cell cancer in January 2016. In the years that followed, they pretty much were able to kill the tumor in my right upper lobe with radiation and chemo that first year. In 2017, they discovered cancer had metastasized to my brain, 10 low dose radiation treatments and cyber knife and it was gone. In 2019 I was diagnosed with colon cancer, they determined it had not metastasized, so surgery, and 6 months of chemo and it's gone. I moved from Florida back to my home state, Indiana and they found a small lesion in my brain, and again, cyber knife and I've continued to have good results for all the cancers. I am so very thankful to have survived! My original pulmonologist told me that the 5 year survival rate for small cell lung cancer was below 5%. I guesss I showed him, lol.

      1. Fantastic to hear how well you are doing, it is very encouraging! Thank you for sharing with our community. All the best, Alisa, Lung Cancer Team Patient Leader

    2. quitting smoking is the best decision you could have made ! I quit when diagnosed but wasn’t a hardcore smoker . My cancer had spread to brain the the time they caught it. Only reason they caught it was because I got a horrible headache and kept tripping on my own feet when walking. After that they did surgery on brain to remove the tumor and then radiated and shot chemo to the small spot they could not take out via surgery. My last scan showed it had almost went away.

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