Types of Lung Cancer

• Small Cell Lung Cancer
  Approximately 20% of all lung cancer cases are small cell lung cancer, or SCLC. This is the fastest growing and spreading type of lung cancer. SCLC metastasize rapidly beyond the lungs to other parts of the body. SCLC is very strongly linked to smoking. Smokers account for 99% of SCLC patients.

• Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
  Approximately 70-75% of lung cancer cases are non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC. There are three main types of NSCLC, which may occur individually or in combination.

• Adenocarcinoma
  Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of non-small cell lung cancer. It accounts for approximately half of all NSCLC, or 40% of all lung cancer. Although, like all lung cancer, adenocarcinoma is closely associated with smoking, it is the type of lung cancer non-smokers are most likely to get. Adenocarcinoma usually occurs in the outer part of the lungs and along the walls of the air sacks of the lungs.

• Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  Squamous Cell Carcinoma accounts for about 30% of non-small cell lung cancer. It usually occurs in the bronchial tube area toward the center of the lungs.

• Large Cell Carcinoma
  Large call carcinoma are the least common type of non-small cell lung cancer. It accounts for 10-15% of NSCLC. Large Cell Carcinomas are called undifferentiated tumors because the cells lack the specific structure of other types of cancer cells. Large Cell Carcinoma tends to grow quickly and metastasize sooner than other NSCLCs.

• Bronchial Carcinoids
  Bronchial carcinoids are the only form of lung cancer which appear to be unrelated to smoking. They account for about 5% of lung cancers. Bronchial carcinoids grow and spread slower than other lung cancers.

• Metastatic Cancer of the Lung
  When cancers from other parts of the body spreads to the lungs, it is not lung cancer, but a metastatic cancer of the lung. These metastasized tumors have the same kind of cancer cells - and similar characteristics - as the original tumor.