Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a disease in which abnormal cell growth starts in the lungs. The most common causes of lung cancer are associated with tobacco use. There are two general types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Symptoms of lung cancer may include a persistent cough, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood. Treatment options for lung cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

 

Lung Cancer: An Overview

Lung cancer is a disease in which uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells begins in the lungs. It is by far the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The 5-year lung cancer survival rate is only 15 percent.
 
Other types of cancers may spread to the lungs from other organs. However, these are not lung cancers because they did not start in the lungs. When cancer cells spread from one organ to another, they are called metastases.
 
The diagnosis of lung cancer brings with it many questions and a need for clear, understandable answers.
 
Cancer research has led to progress against lung cancer -- and our knowledge is increasing. Researchers continue to look for better ways to prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat lung cancer.
 

Lung Cancer: Causes

Researchers have discovered several causes of lung cancer, but the most common are related to the use of tobacco.
 
Causes of lung cancer include:
 
  • Cigarettes
  • Cigars and pipes
  • Environmental tobacco smoke ("secondhand smoke")
  • Radon
  • Asbestos
  • Pollution
  • Lung diseases.
 

Types of Lung Cancer

Cancers that begin in the lungs are divided into two major types -- non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer -- depending on how the cells look under a microscope. Each type of lung cancer grows and spreads in different ways and is treated differently.
 
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer is more common than small cell lung cancer, and it generally grows and spreads more slowly. There are three main types of non-small cell lung cancer; they are named for the type of cells in which the cancer develops: squamous cell carcinoma (also called epidermoid carcinoma), adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma.
 
Small Cell Lung Cancer
Small cell lung cancer, sometimes called oat cell cancer, is less common than non-small cell lung cancer. This type of lung cancer grows more quickly and is more likely to spread to other organs in the body.
 

Symptoms of Lung Cancer

People with lung cancer may experience symptoms caused by the cancer or by side effects from cancer treatments. Common symptoms of lung cancer may include:
 
  • Shortness of breath
  • A persistent cough that gets worse over time
  • Wheezing
  • Coughing up blood
  • Pain
  • Fever
  • Weight loss.
     
Side effects vary depending on the type of lung cancer treatment.
 

Diagnosing and Treating Lung Cancer

The extent of lung cancer is referred to as the lung cancer stage. Information about how big a cancer is or how far it has spread is often used to determine the stage of lung cancer. Doctors use information about the stages to plan lung cancer treatment and to monitor progress.
 
There are several ways to treat lung cancer. The treatment depends on the type of lung cancer and how far it has spread. Lung cancer treatment options include:
 
Patients often receive more than one kind of treatment for lung cancer.
 
These treatments may be provided by different doctors on your medical team, including:
 
  • Pulmonologists (doctors who are experts in diseases of the lungs)
  • Surgeons (doctors who perform operations)
  • Medical oncologists (doctors who are experts in lung cancer and treat cancers with medicines)
  • Radiation oncologists (doctors who treat lung cancers with radiation).
 

Lung Cancer Statistics

Lung cancer is:
 
  • The second most common cancer among all men in the United States
  • The second most common cancer among Caucasian and American Indian/Alaska Native women
  • The third most common cancer among African American, Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic women.
     
In 2002:
 
  • 100,099 men and 80,163 women were diagnosed with lung cancer
  • 90,121 men and 67,509 women died from lung cancer.
     
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD