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Important Small Cell Lung Cancer Information
Small cell lung cancer is a condition in which cancer
cells are growing in the tissues of the lungs. Lung cancer often is
discovered on a chest X-ray, where it appears as a gray or whitish area.
Small cell lung cancer sometimes can be diagnosed with sputum cytology,
a technique in which mucus from the lungs is examined to check for abnormal
cells.
There are three different types of small cell lung cancer. These three types include different types of cells. The cancer cells of each type spread and grow in different ways. The types of small cell lung cancer are named after how the cells look when viewed under a microscope:
Small Cell Carcinoma seems to arise from neuroendocrine cells, which produce small amounts of local hormones. The specific cell that small cell lung cancer arises from appears to be the"Kulchitsky" cell, a neuroendocrine cell within the lining of the bronchioles.
Over 90% of cases are the Oat Cell type. The determination of which type of Small Cell cancer is present is made by using a microscope, to see what the cells look like. There are two stages of small cell lung cancer: Extensive
if the cancer has spread to both sides of the chest (or beyond). Limited
if the cancer is bound to one lung and nearby lymph nodes.
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