Thursday, March 17, 2011

What are the types of Lung Cancer?

There are two major types of lung cancer:
  1. Non-small cell lung cancer
  2. Small cell lung cancer
These terms are assigned to both forms, according to their microscopic view, that a pathologist observes. Thankfully, to medical advancement all types of lung cancers are now curable.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Most lung cancers fall into this category which comprises of 80% of all cases. It has several sub-types that show different symptoms and the treatment also varies.
  • Squamous cell carcinoma
  • Adenocarcinoma
  • Brochioalveolar carcinoma
  • Large-cell undifferential carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma, also known as epidermoid carcinoma is the most common type of NLCSC. It forms in the lining of the bronchial tubes. It is quite common among men.

Adenocarcinoma occurs in mucus producing glands of the lungs. It is the most common type of cancer in women as well as non-smokers.

Bronchioalveolar carcinoma occurs near the air sacs of the lungs and is a rare subset of adenocarcinoma. According to recent study, this cancer is most effectively treated with targeted therapies which are:
  • Monoclonal antibodies
  • Photodynamic therapy
  • Anti-angiogenesis
  • Gene therapy
Large-cell undifferential carcinoma forms at the outer edges of the lungs or near their surface. This cancer can grow and spread quickly into the patient, it needs treatment as soon as it is diagnosed.

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC)
This type occurs in 20% of all lung cancer patients. In this disease, the cells are small but their growth is fast, as they multiply rapidly, thus forming large tumors. These tumors can spread quickly, all over the body. The major cause of this cancer in all cases is nothing but smoking. So, to treat this problem, the patient is asked to quit the use of cigarettes in the first place. Any drug or alcohol intake is also forbidden.

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