Early stage small cell lung cancer: very rare, but a surgical disease!

More than 97% of patients diagnosed with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) present with very advanced loco-regional and often systemic involvement, a group of patients in whom surgery has no role to play save the odd case where the surgeon may be asked to provide additional tissue to confirm the diagnosis. Less than 3% of SCLC patients however will be diagnosed at an early stage (N0–N1) and the role of surgery in these unusual SCLC patients remains underutilized.