SMALL CELL: BIG PROBLEM

HOST: HILDY GROSSMAN CO-HOST: JORDAN RICH GUESTS: Jacob Sands, MD, and Catherine Meador, MD, Ph.D. Small cell lung Cancer (SCLC) is often called the smoker’s lung cancer, since it is most often diagnosed in heavy smokers. While this type of lung cancer is less prevalent than non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it’s more aggressive. Two dedicated and experienced physicians who specialize in treating lung cancer, Dr. Jacob Sands and Dr. Catherine Meador, offer their fascinating insights about the importance of getting a low-dose CT scan when there is a history of heavy smoking. There are often powerful emotional reactions that accompany a SCLC diagnosis, including fear, anxiety, stigma and guilt. It’s important for patients and medical professionals to address these emotional reactions, assuring that they are reasonable under the circumstances. New and exciting research offers new prospects to live with SCLC. Diagnostic and treatment options include biomarker testing, targeted therapies, immunotherapy, combinations of drug with chemotherapy, and clinical trials. The conversation in this podcast emphasizes that each person is a unique individual who should not be swept away by statistics.