Radiation therapy in small cell lung cancer.

Introduction Small-cell lung cancers (SCLC) make up approximately 15%-20% of all newly diagnosed cases of lung cancer. In 2010, there were an estimated 33,380 new cases and 23,600 deaths [1]. Compared to non-small-cell lung cancer, SCLC can be a more aggressive malignancy secondary to an increased doubling time (faster proliferation). SCLC is considered a systemic disease at presentation. Due to its high rate of metastatic dissemination, the 5-year survival rate is only 5%-6%.