Facts about SCLC

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) differs from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in several ways. These include where the cancer begins, how the cancer cells look, and the way the cancer progresses.

Below are some key facts about SCLC:

  • Grows rapidly and is common to have already spread at the time of diagnosis
  • Usually begins in the major airways in the center of the chest that lead to the lungs
  • Makes up 10%-15% of all
    lung cancers

Normal cells vs

SCLC cells

Normal Healthy Cells

Normal, healthy cells

Cells of Small Cell Lung Cancer

Cells of small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer is sometimes called “oat cell cancer,” because the cells are oval-shaped and smaller than healthy cells.

There are 2 stages of SCLC:

LS-SCLC

Limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) means that the cancer is limited to one lung or one side of the chest.

Around 30% of people diagnosed with small cell lung cancer have LS-SCLC.

Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (LS-SCLC)

ES-SCLC

Extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) means that cancer has spread from one lung to the other, to lymph nodes on the other side of the chest, or to other parts of the body.

Most people (nearly 70%) diagnosed with small cell lung cancer have ES-SCLC.

Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (ES-SCLC)
Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (LS-SCLC) Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (ES-SCLC)

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about IMFINZI® (durvalumab)?

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. IMFINZI can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You can have more than one of these problems at the same time. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended.

What is IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of lung cancer called SCLC.

  • IMFINZI may be used alone when your LS-SCLC cannot be removed by surgery and has responded or stabilized after initial treatment with chemotherapy that contains platinum, given at the same time as radiation therapy.
  • IMFINZI may be used with the chemotherapy medicines etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin as your first treatment when your SCLC has spread within your lungs or to other parts of the body (extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, or ES-SCLC).

It is not known if IMFINZI is safe and effective in children.

Call or see your healthcare provider right away if you develop any new or worsening signs or symptoms, including:

  • SCLC Lung Problems Icon

    Lung problems: cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain

  • SCLC Intestinal Problems Icon

    Intestinal problems: diarrhea (loose stools) or more frequent bowel movements than usual; stools that are black, tarry, sticky, or have blood or mucus; and severe stomach-area (abdomen) pain or tenderness

  • SCLC Liver Problems Icon

    Liver problems: yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, severe nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of your stomach area (abdomen), dark urine (tea colored), and bleeding or bruising more easily than normal

  • SCLC Hormone Gland Problems Icon

    Hormone gland problems: headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches; eye sensitivity to light; eye problems; rapid heartbeat; increased sweating; extreme tiredness; weight gain or weight loss; feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual; urinating more often than usual; hair loss; feeling cold; constipation; your voice gets deeper; dizziness or fainting; and changes in mood or behavior, such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness

  • SCLC Kidney Problems Icon

    Kidney problems: decrease in your amount of urine, blood in your urine, swelling of your ankles, and loss of appetite

  • SCLC Skin Problems Icon

    Skin problems: rash; itching; skin blistering or peeling; painful sores or ulcers in mouth or nose, throat, or genital area; fever or flu-like symptoms; and swollen lymph nodes

  • SCLC Pancreas Problems Icon

    Pancreas problems: pain in your upper stomach area (abdomen), severe nausea or vomiting, and loss of appetite

  • SCLC Other Organ Problems Icon

    Problems can also happen in other organs and tissues. These are not all of the signs and symptoms of immune system problems that can happen with IMFINZI. Call or see your healthcare provider right away for any new or worsening signs or symptoms, which may include: Chest pain, irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath or swelling of ankles; confusion, sleepiness, memory problems, changes in mood or behavior, stiff neck, balance problems; tingling, numbness or weakness of the arms or legs; double vision, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, eye pain, changes in eye sight; persistent or severe muscle pain or weakness, muscle cramps, joint pain, joint stiffness or swelling; and low red blood cells and bruising

  • SCLC Severe Infusion Reactions Icon

    Infusion reactions that can sometimes be severe or life-threatening. Signs and symptoms of infusion reactions may include: chills or shaking, itching or rash, flushing, shortness of breath or wheezing, dizziness, feel like passing out, fever, and back or neck pain

  • SCLC Transplant Complications Icon

    Complications, including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in people who have received a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic). These complications can be serious and can lead to death. These complications may happen if you underwent transplantation either before or after being treated with IMFINZI. Your healthcare provider will monitor you for these complications

Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious. Your healthcare provider will check you for these problems during your treatment with IMFINZI. Your healthcare provider may treat you with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. Your healthcare provider may also need to delay or completely stop treatment with IMFINZI if you have severe side effects

Before you receive IMFINZI, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have immune system problems such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus
  • have received an organ transplant
  • have received or plan to receive a stem cell transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic)
  • have received radiation treatment to your chest area
  • have a condition that affects your nervous system, such as myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barré syndrome
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. IMFINZI can harm your unborn baby

    • Females who are able to become pregnant:

    • Your healthcare provider will give you a pregnancy test before you start treatment with IMFINZI.
    • You should use an effective method of birth control during your treatment and for 3 months after the last dose of IMFINZI. Talk to your healthcare provider about birth control methods that you can use during this time.
    • Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with IMFINZI.
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if IMFINZI passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for 3 months after the last dose of IMFINZI.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

What are the possible side effects of IMFINZI?

IMFINZI can cause serious side effects (see above):

The most common side effects of IMFINZI when used alone in adults with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) include inflammation in the lungs and feeling tired or weak.

The most common side effects of IMFINZI when used with etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin in adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) include nausea, hair loss, and feeling tired or weak.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of IMFINZI. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects related to AstraZeneca products.Report side effects related to AstraZeneca products If you prefer to report these to the FDA, either visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects related to AstraZeneca products.Report side effects related to AstraZeneca products If you prefer to report these to the FDA, either visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of lung cancer called small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

  • IMFINZI may be used alone when your LS-SCLC cannot be removed by surgery and has responded or stabilized after initial treatment with chemotherapy that contains platinum, given at the same time as radiation therapy.
  • IMFINZI may be used with the chemotherapy medicines etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin as your first treatment when your SCLC has spread within your lungs or to other parts of the body (extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, or ES-SCLC).

It is not known if IMFINZI is safe and effective in children.

Please see Full Prescribing Information including Medication Guide for IMFINZI.

What is IMFINZI?

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about IMFINZI® (durvalumab)?

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. IMFINZI can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in...

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat...

Read full Important Safety Information

Important Safety Information

What is IMFINZI?

Minimize Expand

IMFINZI is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of lung cancer called SCLC.

  • IMFINZI may be used alone when your LS-SCLC cannot be removed by surgery and has responded or stabilized after initial treatment with chemotherapy that contains platinum, given at the same time as radiation therapy...

What is the most important information I should know about IMFINZI® (durvalumab)?

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by work...

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. IMFINZI can cause your immune system to...

Read full Important Safety Information