Lung cancer
Last updated 18 Aug 2020
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Lung cancer is a disease in which certain cells in the lungs become abnormal and multiply uncontrollably to form a tumour. Lung cancer may not cause signs or symptoms in its early stages. Some people with lung cancer have chest pain, frequent coughing, blood in the mucus, breathing problems, trouble swallowing or speaking, loss of appetite and weight loss, fatigue, or swelling in the face or neck. Additional symptoms can develop if the cancer spreads (metastasizes) into other tissues. Lung cancer occurs most often in adults in their sixties or seventies. Most people who develop lung cancer have a history of long-term tobacco smoking; however, the condition can occur in people who have never smoked.
Description
Lung cancer is a disease in which certain cells in the lungs become abnormal and multiply uncontrollably to form a tumour. Lung cancer may not cause signs or symptoms in its early stages. Some people with lung cancer have chest pain, frequent coughing, blood in the mucus, breathing problems, trouble swallowing or speaking, loss of appetite and weight loss, fatigue, or swelling in the face or neck. Additional symptoms can develop if the cancer spreads (metastasizes) into other tissues. Lung cancer occurs most often in adults in their sixties or seventies. Most people who develop lung cancer have a history of long-term tobacco smoking; however, the condition can occur in people who have never smoked.
Lung cancer is generally divided into two types, small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, based on the size of the affected cells when viewed under a microscope. Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for 85 percent of lung cancer, while small cell lung cancer accounts for the remaining 15 percent.
Small cell lung cancer grows quickly and in more than half of cases the cancer has spread beyond the lung by the time the condition is diagnosed. Small cell lung cancer often metastasizes, most commonly to the liver, brain, bones, and adrenal glands (small hormone-producing glands located on top of each kidney). After diagnosis, most people with small cell lung cancer survive for about 1 year; less than seven percent survive 5 years.
Non-small cell lung cancer is divided into three main subtypes: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell lung carcinoma. Adenocarcinoma arises from the cells that line the small air sacs (alveoli) located throughout the lungs. Squamous cell carcinoma arises from squamous cells that line the passages leading from the windpipe (trachea) to the lungs (bronchi). Large cell carcinoma arises from epithelial cells that line the lungs. Large cell carcinoma encompasses non-small cell lung cancers that do not appear to be adenocarcinomas or squamous cell carcinomas. The 5-year survival rate for people with non-small cell lung cancer is usually between 11 and 17 percent; it can be lower or higher depending on the subtype and stage of the cancer.
Inheritance patterns
The source lists the following possible inheritance patterns: Not inherited; Autosomal dominant. More than one pattern can apply in different cases.
Related genes
Other names
Cancer of bronchus
Cancer of the lung
Lung malignancies
Lung malignant tumours
Lung neoplasms
Malignant lung tumour
Malignant neoplasm of lung
Malignant tumour of lung
Pulmonary cancer
Pulmonary carcinoma
Pulmonary neoplasms
Respiratory carcinoma
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Patient information leaflet
Lung cancer
Lung cancer (cancer of the lung) is common worldwide. If lung cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, there is a chance of a cure. Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK. Primary lung cancers Primary lung cancer... There are several types of primary lung cancer. The two most common types are called small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC).
Patient information leaflet
Cancer symptoms
Cancer symptoms will vary according to the type of cancer and how far the cancer has grown. There are some symptoms that are common to many cancers. Bowel cancer : blood in stools or after passing stool, pain in rectum. Lung cancer : persistent cough, blood in sputum (haemoptysis), chest pain. Brain cancer : unexplained headaches; headache present.
Patient information leaflet
Causes of cancer
Certain risk factors are known to increase the chance that one or more of your cells will become abnormal and lead to cancer. How does cancer start. As a general rule, the more the exposure to a carcino... Well-known examples include: Tobacco. If you smoke , you are more likely to develop cancer of the lung , mouth , throat , oesophagus , bladder.
Patient information leaflet
Types of cancer
There are more than 100 different types of cancer. For example, a breast cell, a lung cell, etc. The five most common cancers in the UK are Breast Cancer , Lung Cancer , Prostate Cancer , Bowel Cancer and Skin Cancer - but there are many more types. Links to detailed leaflets on each are provided below: Bladder Cancer Brain Cancer and Brain.
Patient information leaflet
Stages of cancer
If left untreated, cancers often go through three stages: local growth, spread to lymph channels and spread to other areas of the body. The stage of a cancer is a measure of how much the cancer has grown and spread. As a general... Staging systems TNM staging system A common way of staging cancer such as breast, colon, and lung cancers is called.
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Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is an uncommon type of cancer that occurs in the tissues covering internal organs, particularly your lungs or less commonly your tummy (abdomen). Past exposure to asbestos is the main risk factor for mesothelioma. The first symptoms are variable but can ... What is mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that occurs in the.
Further reading and references
- Lung cancer; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts & Figures 2017
- Byers LA, Rudin CM. Small cell lung cancer: where do we go from here? Cancer. 2015 Mar 1;121(5):664-72. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29098. Epub 2014 Oct 21.
- Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network. Comprehensive molecular profiling of lung adenocarcinoma. Nature. 2014 Jul 31;511(7511):543-50. doi: 10.1038/nature13385. Epub 2014 Jul 9.
- Couraud S, Zalcman G, Milleron B, Morin F, Souquet PJ. Lung cancer in never smokers--a review. Eur J Cancer. 2012 Jun;48(9):1299-311. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2012.03.007. Epub 2012 Mar 28.
- Ettinger DS, Wood DE, Aisner DL, Akerley W, Bauman J, Chirieac LR, D'Amico TA, DeCamp MM, Dilling TJ, Dobelbower M, Doebele RC, Govindan R, Gubens MA, Hennon M, Horn L, Komaki R, Lackner RP, Lanuti M, Leal TA, Leisch LJ, Lilenbaum R, Lin J, Loo BW Jr, Martins R, Otterson GA, Reckamp K, Riely GJ, Schild SE, Shapiro TA, Stevenson J, Swanson SJ, Tauer K, Yang SC, Gregory K, Hughes M. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Version 5.2017, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2017 Apr;15(4):504-535. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2017.0050.
- Howington JA, Blum MG, Chang AC, Balekian AA, Murthy SC. Treatment of stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer: Diagnosis and management of lung cancer, 3rd ed: American College of Chest Physicians evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest. 2013 May;143(5 Suppl):e278S-e313S. doi: 10.1378/chest.12-2359.
- Kalemkerian GP, Akerley W, Bogner P, Borghaei H, Chow LQ, Downey RJ, Gandhi L, Ganti AK, Govindan R, Grecula JC, Hayman J, Heist RS, Horn L, Jahan T, Koczywas M, Loo BW Jr, Merritt RE, Moran CA, Niell HB, O'Malley J, Patel JD, Ready N, Rudin CM, Williams CC Jr, Gregory K, Hughes M; National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Small cell lung cancer. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2013 Jan 1;11(1):78-98. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2013.0011.
- Karachaliou N, Mayo C, Costa C, Magri I, Gimenez-Capitan A, Molina-Vila MA, Rosell R. KRAS mutations in lung cancer. Clin Lung Cancer. 2013 May;14(3):205-14. doi: 10.1016/j.cllc.2012.09.007. Epub 2012 Nov 1.
- Lindeman NI, Cagle PT, Beasley MB, Chitale DA, Dacic S, Giaccone G, Jenkins RB, Kwiatkowski DJ, Saldivar JS, Squire J, Thunnissen E, Ladanyi M, College of American Pathologists International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer and Association for Molecular Pathology. Molecular testing guideline for selection of lung cancer patients for EGFR and ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors: guideline from the College of American Pathologists, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, and Association for Molecular Pathology. J Mol Diagn. 2013 Jul;15(4):415-53. doi: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2013.03.001. Epub 2013 Apr 4.
- Lindeman NI, Cagle PT, Beasley MB, Chitale DA, Dacic S, Giaccone G, Jenkins RB, Kwiatkowski DJ, Saldivar JS, Squire J, Thunnissen E, Ladanyi M. Molecular testing guideline for selection of lung cancer patients for EGFR and ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors: guideline from the College of American Pathologists, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, and Association for Molecular Pathology. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2013 Jun;137(6):828-60. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2012-0720-OA. Epub 2013 Apr 3.
- Lohinai Z, Hoda MA, Fabian K, Ostoros G, Raso E, Barbai T, Timar J, Kovalszky I, Cserepes M, Rozsas A, Laszlo V, Grusch M, Berger W, Klepetko W, Moldvay J, Dome B, Hegedus B. Distinct Epidemiology and Clinical Consequence of Classic Versus Rare EGFR Mutations in Lung Adenocarcinoma. J Thorac Oncol. 2015 May;10(5):738-746. doi: 10.1097/JTO.0000000000000492.
- Ramnath N, Dilling TJ, Harris LJ, Kim AW, Michaud GC, Balekian AA, Diekemper R, Detterbeck FC, Arenberg DA. Treatment of stage III non-small cell lung cancer: Diagnosis and management of lung cancer, 3rd ed: American College of Chest Physicians evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest. 2013 May;143(5 Suppl):e314S-e340S. doi: 10.1378/chest.12-2360.
- Shames DS, Wistuba II. The evolving genomic classification of lung cancer. J Pathol. 2014 Jan;232(2):121-33. doi: 10.1002/path.4275.
- Sholl LM. The Molecular Pathology of Lung Cancer. Surg Pathol Clin. 2016 Sep;9(3):353-78. doi: 10.1016/j.path.2016.04.003.
- Socinski MA, Evans T, Gettinger S, Hensing TA, VanDam Sequist L, Ireland B, Stinchcombe TE. Treatment of stage IV non-small cell lung cancer: Diagnosis and management of lung cancer, 3rd ed: American College of Chest Physicians evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest. 2013 May;143(5 Suppl):e341S-e368S. doi: 10.1378/chest.12-2361.
- Stella GM, Luisetti M, Pozzi E, Comoglio PM. Oncogenes in non-small-cell lung cancer: emerging connections and novel therapeutic dynamics. Lancet Respir Med. 2013 May;1(3):251-61. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(13)70009-2. Epub 2013 Mar 1.
- Sutherland KD, Berns A. Cell of origin of lung cancer. Mol Oncol. 2010 Oct;4(5):397-403. doi: 10.1016/j.molonc.2010.05.002. Epub 2010 Jun 8.
- Swanton C, Govindan R. Clinical Implications of Genomic Discoveries in Lung Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2016 May 12;374(19):1864-73. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1504688. No abstract available.
- Thunnissen E, van der Oord K, den Bakker M. Prognostic and predictive biomarkers in lung cancer. A review. Virchows Arch. 2014 Mar;464(3):347-58. doi: 10.1007/s00428-014-1535-4. Epub 2014 Jan 14.
- Xue X, Liu Y, Pan L, Wang Y, Wang K, Zhang M, Wang P, Wang J. Diagnosis of multiple primary lung cancer: a systematic review. J Int Med Res. 2013 Dec;41(6):1779-87. doi: 10.1177/0300060513504707.
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