Lung cancer: what is it?

Lung cancer is a malignant tumour in the tissue of one or both of the lungs.

Some people have primary cancer that started in the lungs. Others have cancer that started somewhere else in the body and spread to the lungs (secondary cancer or metastasis).

Q: What are the different types?

There are several types of lung cancer, which are classified according to the type of cell affected.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Makes up 75–80% of lung cancers. It mainly affects the cells that line the tubes into the lungs (bronchi) and smaller airways.

NSCLC is classified as:

  • squamous cell carcinoma
  • adenocarcinoma, or
  • large cell carcinoma.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

Makes up 15–20% of lung cancers. SCLC tends to start in the middle of the lungs, and it usually spreads early. Cancers are named for the way the cells appear when viewed under a microscope.

Types include:

  • small cell carcinoma (also known as oat cell cancer)
  • mixed small cell/large cell carcinoma
  • combined small cell carcinoma.

Mesothelioma

A rare type of cancer that affects the protective membrane around the body’s internal organs (the mesothelium). Mesothelioma usually affects the pleural membranes around the lungs, but it can also occur in the lining of the abdomen or around the heart.

Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos, a mineral used in some building materials. In most cases, the development of mesothelioma occurs 25–50 years after asbestos exposure.

For further information and advice, call the Cancer Helpline on 13 11 20


 

Last Reviewed: 01 July 2010

myDr, 2001. Reproduced with the kind permission of The Cancer Council New South Wales.
©Copyright: myDr, MIMS Australia, 2000-2013. All rights reserved.

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