Lung cancer is cancer of some of the cells in part of the lung. It usually begins in the lining of the airway. A cancer that starts in cells lining an organ is called a carcinoma.
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There are different types of lung cancer. Lung cancers are classified according to the main type of cell affected. There are two main types: small cell carcinomas and non-small cell carcinomas.
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- Small Cell Carcinomas – are also called oat cell carcinomas because of the shape of the cell. They account for around 15% of lung cancers. This type of lung cancer is strongly linked with cigarette smoking. Unfortunately, it spreads early and causes few early symptoms, so it has often already spread at the time of diagnosis.
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- Non-Small Cell Carcinomas – include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, large cell carcinoma and bronchiole-alveolar cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinomas usually affect the cells that line the main bronchi and usually develop in the edge of the lung in the alveoli. Adenocarcinomas and bronchiole-alveolar cell carcinomas usually develop in the edge of the lung in the alveoli.
As these cancers grow they can spread into the chest will and nearby lymph nodes. Squamous cell carcinoma has a lower rate of spread than other types of lung cancer and is generally found earlier, so there is a slightly better prognosis following treatment.
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