Lung Cancer from the Swedish Medical Center

Lung Cancer
Overview
Lung cancer is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both of the lungs. The majority of lung cancers begin in the bronchial tubes that conduct air in and out of the lungs. Cancers of the lung are classified by how they appear under a microscope. While there are more than a dozen different kinds of lung cancer, the two main types of lung cancer are non small cell and small cell, which together account for over 90% of all lung cancers. Non small cell lung cancer accounts for approximately 75% of these cancers and consists of squamous cell, adenocarcinoma and large cell types. Small cell lung cancer represents 20-25% of all lung cancers and is also referred to as "oat cell cancer" because of the shape of cells when examined under the microscope.