Frankly speaking about lung cancer

(third edition)

Table Of Contents

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

NSCLC comprises 80-85% of all lung cancers and has four major subtypes:

  • Adenocarcinoma
  • Squamous cell carcinoma (formerly called epidermoid carcinoma)
  • Large cell undifferentiated carcinoma
  • Bronchioloalveoloar carcinoma If NSCLC is detected at an early stage, cure may be possible with surgery alone. NSCLC occurs most often in men and older people of both sexes

Adenocarcinoma:

  • Represents up to 60% of the NSCLC lung cancer cases in the United States
  • Is the most common lung cancer among women
  • Usually starts near the outer edges of the lungs
  • May spread to other parts of the body
  • Is the type that occurs in non-smokers as well as smokers

NSCLC and SCLC respond to some new targeted therapies.

Squamous cell carcinoma:

  • Represents about 30% of NSCLC lung cancers in the United States
  • Usually starts in one of the bronchi
  • Frequently spreads to regional lymph nodes
  • Is strongly associated with smoking

Large cell undifferentiated carcinoma:

  • Represents about 10% of NSCLC lung cancers in the United States
  • May occur in any part of the lung
  • Frequently a diagnosis of exclusion

Bronchioalveolar carcinoma:

  • Is a rare type of adenocarcinoma that represents only 3% of all lung cancers
  • The number of new cases appears to be on the rise
  • Initially spreads through tiny sacs in the lungs called alveoli rather than in solid tumors
  • May occur in smokers or non-smokers, but the majority of cases occur in younger, non-smoking women

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