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Treatment of Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer may include the following:

  • Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and combination chemotherapy.
  • Combination chemotherapy.
  • Radiation therapy to the brain, spine, bone, or other parts of the body where the cancer has spread, as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
  • Radiation therapy to the chest may be given to patients who respond to chemotherapy.
  • Radiation therapy to the brain may be given to patients who have had a complete response, to prevent the spread of cancer to the brain.
  • Clinical trials of new treatments.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Navigating Care disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information. This information was sourced and adapted from Adapted from the National Cancer Institute's Physician Data Query (PDQ®) Cancer Information Summaries on www.cancer.gov.

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The Navigating Care Library includes articles about cancer, chemotherapy regimens and drugs from the the National Cancer Institute and other experts.