BACKGROUND: There is poor understanding of the comparative effectiveness of lobar and sublobar resections for limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We analyzed the National Cancer Database to examine the outcomes of patients undergoing wedge resection (WR), segmentectomy (SR), and lobectomy (LB) for limited-stage SCLC. METHODS: Patients with cT1-2N0M0 SCLC (2004-2015) who underwent definitive surgery were identified and stratified by extent of resection: WR, SR, or LB. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS) and secondary outcomes were margin-positive resection (>R0) and pathologic nodal upstaging. RESULTS: A total 1948 patients met study criteria: 619 (32%) underwent WR, 96 (5%) SR, and 1233 (63%) LB. Patients receiving LB were more likely to be younger, have fewer comorbidities, and be privately insured. The unadjusted 5-year OS of WR, SR, and LB patients was 31% (95% confidence interval [CI], 27-35), 35% (95% CI, 25-49), and 45% (95% CI, 42-49), respectively. In a multivariable Cox model, WR was associated with worse OS (hazard ratio, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.31-1.79) and SR similar OS (hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% CI, 0.87-1.67) compared with LB. SR was associated with similar survival compared with LB in a propensity score-matched multivariable analysis as well. WR was also associated with greater odds of >R0 resection compared with LB. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, patients with limited-stage SCLC undergoing WR experienced worse survival compared with those undergoing LB; survival was similar between segmentectomy and LB.