Balance Sheet Account Detail - Summary of Other Long-Term Liabilities (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Accrued executive deferred compensation	$ 5,593	$ 4,694
Deferred rent (non-current portion)	321us-gaap_DeferredRentCreditNoncurrent	364us-gaap_DeferredRentCreditNoncurrent
Business acquisition liability	300	300
Other tax liabilities	730	730
Other long-term liabilities	$ 6,944us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	$ 6,088us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent

Business acquisition related liability.

No definition available.

Name:	sppi_BusinessAcquisitionRelatedLiability
Namespace Prefix:	sppi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for all deferred compensation arrangements payable beyond one year (or the operating cycle, if longer).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences, after deferred tax asset, and other tax liabilities expected to be paid after one year or operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

For a classified balance sheet, the cumulative difference between the rental income or payments required by a lease agreement and the rental income or expense recognized on a straight-line basis, or other systematic and rational basis more representative of the time pattern in which use or benefit is granted or derived from the leased property, expected to be recognized in income or expense, by the lessor or lessee, respectively, more than one year after the balance sheet date.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 20

-Section 25

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7501430&loc=d3e39927-112707

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.26(c))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Definition

Aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of noncurrent obligations not separately disclosed in the balance sheet. Noncurrent liabilities are expected to be paid after one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer).

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.24)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 24

-Article 5

+ Details

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