Question: Who is at risk for Small Cell Lung Cancer? ?
Answer: Smoking is the major risk factor for small cell lung cancer. Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn't mean that you will not get cancer. Talk to your doctor if you think you may be at risk for lung cancer. Risk factors for lung cancer include the following: - Smoking cigarettes, pipes, or cigars, now or in the past. This is the most important risk factor for lung cancer. The earlier in life a person starts smoking, the more often a person smokes, and the more years a person smokes, the greater the risk of lung cancer. - Being exposed to secondhand smoke. - Being exposed to radiation from any of the following: - Radiation therapy to the breast or chest. - Radon in the home or workplace. - Imaging tests such as CT scans. - Atomic bomb radiation. - Being exposed to asbestos, chromium, nickel, beryllium, arsenic, soot, or tar in the workplace. - Living where there is air pollution. - Having a family history of lung cancer. - Being infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). - Taking beta carotene supplements and being a heavy smoker. Older age is the main risk factor for most cancers. The chance of getting cancer increases as you get older. When smoking is combined with other risk factors, the risk of lung cancer is increased.
Source: CancerGov

Question: What are the symptoms of Small Cell Lung Cancer ?
Answer: Signs and symptoms of small cell lung cancer include coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain. These and other signs and symptoms may be caused by small cell lung cancer or by other conditions. Check with your doctor if you have any of the following: - Chest discomfort or pain. - A cough that doesnt go away or gets worse over time. - Trouble breathing. - Wheezing. - Blood in sputum (mucus coughed up from the lungs). - Hoarseness. - Trouble swallowing. - Loss of appetite. - Weight loss for no known reason. - Feeling very tired. - Swelling in the face and/or veins in the neck.
Source: CancerGov

Question: How to diagnose Small Cell Lung Cancer ?
Answer: Tests and procedures that examine the lungs are used to detect (find), diagnose, and stage small cell lung cancer. The following tests and procedures may be used: - Physical exam and history : An exam of the body to check general signs of health, including checking for signs of disease, such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual. A history of the patients health habits, including smoking, and past jobs, illnesses, and treatments will also be taken. - Laboratory tests : Medical procedures that test samples of tissue, blood, urine, or other substances in the body. These tests help to diagnose disease, plan and check treatment, or monitor the disease over time. - Chest x-ray : An x-ray of the organs and bones inside the chest. An x-ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film, making a picture of areas inside the body. - CT scan (CAT scan) of the brain, chest, and abdomen : A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography. - Sputum cytology : A microscope is used to check for cancer cells in the sputum (mucus coughed up from the lungs). - Biopsy : The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer. The different ways a biopsy can be done include the following: - Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of the lung: The removal of tissue or fluid from the lung, using a thin needle. A CT scan, ultrasound, or other imaging procedure is used to find the abnormal tissue or fluid in the lung. A small incision may be made in the skin where the biopsy needle is inserted into the abnormal tissue or fluid. A sample is removed with the needle and sent to the laboratory. A pathologist then views the sample under a microscope to look for cancer cells. A chest x-ray is done after the procedure to make sure no air is leaking from the lung into the chest. - Bronchoscopy : A procedure to look inside the trachea and large airways in the lung for abnormal areas. A bronchoscope is inserted through the nose or mouth into the trachea and lungs. A bronchoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing. It may also have a tool to remove tissue samples, which are checked under a microscope for signs of cancer. - Thoracoscopy : A surgical procedure to look at the organs inside the chest to check for abnormal areas. An incision (cut) is made between two ribs, and a thoracoscope is inserted into the chest. A thoracoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing. It may also have a tool to remove tissue or lymph node samples, which are checked under a microscope for signs of cancer. In some cases, this procedure is used to remove part of the esophagus or lung. If certain tissues, organs, or lymph nodes cant be reached, a thoracotomy may be done. In this procedure, a larger incision is made between the ribs and the chest is opened. - Thoracentesis : The removal of fluid from the space between the lining of the chest and the lung, using a needle. A pathologist views the fluid under a microscope to look for cancer cells. - Mediastinoscopy : A surgical procedure to look at the organs, tissues, and lymph nodes between the lungs for abnormal areas. An incision (cut) is made at the top of the breastbone and a mediastinoscope is inserted into the chest. A mediastinoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing. It may also have a tool to remove tissue or lymph node samples, which are checked under a microscope for signs of cancer. - Light and electron microscopy : A laboratory test in which cells in a sample of tissue are viewed under regular and high-powered microscopes to look for certain changes in the cells. - Immunohistochemistry : A test that uses antibodies to check for certain antigens in a sample of tissue. The antibody is usually linked to a radioactive substance or a dye that causes the tissue to light up under a microscope. This type of test may be used to tell the difference between different types of cancer.
Source: CancerGov

Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Small Cell Lung Cancer ?
Answer: New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials. Information about clinical trials is available from the NCI website. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice. Clinical trials are part of the cancer research process. Clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment. Many of today's standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials. Patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment. Patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future. Even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments, they often answer important questions and help move research forward. Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment. Some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment. Other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better. There are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring (coming back) or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment. Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. See the Treatment Options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials. These have been retrieved from NCI's listing of clinical trials.
Source: CancerGov