Combined small cell lung cancer: current progress and unmet needs

Chen Zeng; Guihuan Qiu; Xiaohong Xie; Ting Liu; Ziyao Chen; Xiaoyi Zhang; Wensheng Zhou; Xinqing Lin; Zhanhong Xie; Yinyin Qin; Yansheng Wang; Xiaodong Ma; Chengzhi Zhou; Ming Liu

Combined small cell lung cancer: current progress and unmet needs

Am J Cancer Res. 2023 Sep 15;13(9):3864-3874. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong, P. R. China.
² Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong, P. R. China.

PMID: 37818075
PMCID: PMC10560927

Abstract

Combined small cell lung cancer (CSCLC) is a specific subtype of lung cancer characterized by a pathological mixture of small cell lung cancer and any subtype of non-small cell lung cancer components. Currently, our understanding of the clinicopathological features, origin, molecular characterization, treatment, and prognosis of CSCLC remains limited. CSCLCs represent examples of intratumor heterogeneity and pose challenges for accurate diagnosis. Are there any distinct clinicopathologic and molecular differences between pure SCLC and CSCLC? Furthermore, the prognostic outcomes and optimal treatments for CSCLC are urgently needed. This article aims to summarize the current biological features and clinical management of CSCLC, providing a reference for further understanding of this heterogeneous form of small cell lung cancer.

Keywords: Combined small cell lung cancer; diagnosis; molecular features; pathological features; prognosis; treatment.

Publication types

Review