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Lung cancer - small cell - Prevention

Alternative Names

Cancer - lung - small cell; Small cell lung cancer; SCLC

Prevention:

If you smoke, stop smoking. It's never too late to quit. In addition, you should try to avoid secondhand smoke.

Routine screening for lung cancer is not recommended. Many studies have been done to look at this idea, but physicians have concluded that, at this time, screening would not help improve a person's chance for a cure.

Reviewed last on: 8/9/2009
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Ettinger DS. Lung cancer and other pulmonary neoplasms. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 201.

National Cancer Institute. Small cell lung cancer treatment PDQ. Updated February 13, 2009.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Lung cancer screening. Ann Int Med. 2004;140:738-739.

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