This element represents the change in the valuation of economic rights during the reporting period.

No definition available.

Name:	cycc_ChangeInValuationOfEconomicRights
Namespace Prefix:	cycc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the fair value of contractual rights of investors under a financing agreement, to receive cash equal to a specified percentage of any future litigation settlement related to the specified intellectual property, subject to a cap.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cycc_EconomicRightsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	cycc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the assumptions that take into consideration the cap on the amount that the Company would have to pay investors in the event of an award or settlement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cycc_FairValueAssumptionsAmountOfAwardOrSettlement
Namespace Prefix:	cycc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual life of the instrument, asset or liability, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cycc_FairValueAssumptionsContractualLife
Namespace Prefix:	cycc_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of litigation expenses assumption used in valuing an instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cycc_FairValueAssumptionsLitigationExpenses
Namespace Prefix:	cycc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the royalty rate assumption used in valuing an instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cycc_FairValueAssumptionsRoyaltyRate
Namespace Prefix:	cycc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the timing of cash flows assumptions, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS format, for example, P1Y5M13D represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cycc_FairValueAssumptionsTimingOfCashFlows
Namespace Prefix:	cycc_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount to be paid as percentage of future litigation settlement amount received related to the specified intellectual property, subject to a cap.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cycc_FinancingAgreementAmountToBePaidAsPercentageOfFutureLitigationSettlementReceived
Namespace Prefix:	cycc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringAndNonrecurringBasisLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssumptionsAndMethodologyForAssetsAndLiabilitiesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Expected dividends to be paid to holders of the underlying shares or financial instruments (expressed as a percentage of the share or instrument's price).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period the instrument, asset or liability is expected to be outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssumptionsExpectedTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Measure of dispersion, in percentage terms (for instance, the standard deviation or variance), for a given stock price.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Risk-free interest rate assumption used in valuing an instrument.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in earnings, arising from liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 157

-Paragraph 32

-Subparagraph c(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityGainLossIncludedInEarnings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents warrants not settleable in cash classified as equity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_WarrantsNotSettleableInCashFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details 3) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	194 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details 3) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Feb. 28, 2007 Warrants	Sep. 30, 2012 Warrants	Sep. 30, 2011 Warrants	Sep. 30, 2012 Warrants	Sep. 30, 2011 Warrants	Dec. 31, 2011 Warrants	Dec. 31, 2010 Warrants	Dec. 31, 2009 Warrants	Mar. 31, 2012 Economic Rights	Sep. 30, 2012 Economic Rights	Sep. 30, 2012 Economic Rights	Mar. 31, 2012 Economic Rights Minimum	Sep. 30, 2012 Economic Rights Minimum	Mar. 22, 2012 Economic Rights Minimum	Mar. 31, 2012 Economic Rights Maximum	Sep. 30, 2012 Economic Rights Maximum	Mar. 22, 2012 Economic Rights Maximum
Fair value measurements
Amount to be paid as percentage of future litigation settlement amount received												10.00%
Fair value of the liability													$ 1,100,000	$ 1,100,000
Change in fair value of the derivative	63,000	(27,000)	(27,000)										63,000	(27,000)
Fair value of the warrants				6,800,000					51,000	700,000
Warrants Liability
Expected volatility (as a percent)				85.00%					106.00%	121.00%					25.00%	25.00%		75.00%	75.00%
Amount of award or settlement																10,000,000	10,000,000		20,000,000	20,000,000
Timing of cash flows															9 months	3 months		2 years 3 months 7 days	1 year 9 months 7 days
Royalty rate (as a percent)												6.00%	6.00%
Litigation expenses															1,000,000	1,000,000		3,000,000	3,000,000
Risk free interest rate (as a percent)				4.68%					0.25%	1.02%
Expected dividend yield over expected term (as a percent)				0.00%					0.00%
Contractual life				7 years
Expected term							1 year 4 months 17 days		2 years 1 month 17 days	3 years 1 month 17 days
Change in valuation of liability					$ 1,000	$ 400,000	$ 51,000	$ 600,000	$ 629,000	$ (300,000)	$ (300,000)			$ (27,000)