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. 2025 Feb;14(3):e70608.
doi: 10.1002/cam4.70608.

Trends in the Incidence and Survival Outcomes in Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer in the United States: An Analysis of the SEER Database

Dipesh Uprety  1 , Randell Seaton  2 , Abesh Niroula  3 , Tarik Hadid  1 , Kaushal Parikh  4 , Julie J Ruterbusch  2
Affiliations

Trends in the Incidence and Survival Outcomes in Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer in the United States: An Analysis of the SEER Database

Dipesh Uprety et al. Cancer Med. 2025 Feb.

Abstract

Background: There has been a lack of updated epidemiological data on the incidence and survival outcomes for patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in the United States over the last two decades.

Methods: A retrospective, population-based study was conducted utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program to identify patients with SCLC from 2000 to 2020. Trends in cancer incidence, incidence-based mortality rates, 1-year relative survival rates and 1-year observed survival were evaluated utilizing the SEER database.

Results: The database identified a total of 188,426 SCLC patients during the study period from 2000 through 2020. The age-adjusted incidence rate slowly declined, on average, by 3% (95% CI: -3.2% to -2.8%) each year from 9 per 100,000 in 2000 to 4.6 per 100,000 in 2020. The decline is evident for all age groups, sexes, and races. Incidence-based mortality also declined slowly from 6.6 in 2005 to 3.5 in 2020. However, survival outcomes, including 1-year relative survival and 1-year observed survivals, have not improved significantly over the last two decades.

Conclusion: This study found that the incidence of SCLC has decreased from 2000 to 2020, likely due to a reduction in smoking rates, underscoring the importance of smoking abstinence. An improvement in incidence-based mortality is likely related to an enhanced medical care and a decrease in the incidence of SCLC, but the lack of improvement in survival outcomes reflects the need for more effective systemic therapy.

Keywords: SCLC; SEER; epidemiology; lung cancer; population; small‐cell.

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Conflict of interest statement

Advisory Board/ Consulting fees for Daiichi Sankyo, Sanofi, Astrazaneca, and Jazz Pharmaceuticals. Research Consultant: Pfizer; Randell Seaton: no conflicts of interest to disclose; Abesh Niroula: no conflicts of interest to disclose; Tarik Hadid: no conflicts of interest; Kaushal Parikh: Research funding from Verastem Oncology to institution. Advisory Board/Consultant for Astrazeneca and Guardant Health (funding to institution). Honoraria from OncLive, MJH Life Sciences and Dava Oncology (to institution); Julie J Ruterbusch: no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Age‐adjusted incidence rate by (a) ethnic‐racial status, (b) age at diagnosis, (c) sex, and (d) cancer stage. AI/AN, American Indian/Alaska Native, NH, non‐Hispanic; PI, Pacific Islander. **Excluded unknown cancer stage.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Age‐adjusted lung cancer mortality rate by (a) ethnic‐racial status, (b) age at death, (c) sex, and (d) cancer stage. AI/AN, American Indian/Alaska Native; IBM, incidence‐based mortality; NH, non‐Hispanic; PI, Pacific Islander. **Excluded unknown cancer stage.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Small cell lung cancer stage proportions by year of diagnosis. Excluded unknown cancer stage.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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