Background: Although accounting for only 15% of lung cancer cases, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) deserves more attention for its high malignancy and early metastasis.

Objective: To study the clinicopathological features of patients diagnosed with SCLC.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with SCLC in West China Hospital from January 2009 to December 2019 were included. Data including demographic character, tumor site, max diameter, metastasis, stage, and overall survival time were collected. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional risk regression model were used in data analysis.

Results: A total of 1,139 patients were enrolled. In univariate survival analysis, patients?60yr, with a cancer family history, with central type, with max diameter?3cm, with lymph node metastasis/distant metastasis, with extensive stage, without surgery/chemotherapy, had shorter overall survival (OS) (P < 0.0001). However, no significant differences were found between males and females, smokers and nonsmokers, with and without comorbidities. The multivariate survival analysis showed that stage (P=0.000), distant metastasis (P=0.000), lymph node metastasis (P=0.000), and treatment (P=0.000) were independent factors affecting the survival and prognosis of small cell lung cancer.

Conclusion: Stage, distant metastasis, lymph node metastasis, and treatment were independent risk factors for the prognosis of small cell lung cancer patients.