Lung Cancer Types
Lung cancer is very serious and often lethal, especially if the cancer has already spread to other bodily organs. Lung cancer is now the most common form of cancer diagnosed in the United States, and it causes more deaths than any other cancer among men and women. Lung cancer makes up 14 percent of all cancers and 28 percent of cancer deaths. This is because lung cancer is usually diagnosed when it is already too late.
There are two main types of lung cancer: small cell carcinoma and non-small cell carcinoma. It is important to diagnose which type of cancer a patient has, because that will help determine the course of lung cancer treatment.
Small Cell Lung Cancer
Small cell lung cancer, also called oat cell lung cancer, constitutes 20-25 percent of all lung cancer cases. Small cell carcinoma is strongly linked to smoking. Small cell lung cancer is often found in the layer of lung tissue beneath the mucous membrane. This type of carcinoma develops and metastasizes rapidly. By the time it is diagnosed, small cell lung cancer is more likely to have already formed lung metastases than other types of lung cancer.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer includes several kinds of cancer—each identified by the type of cell affected. This group includes squamous cell (or epidermoid) carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. These forms of cancer tend to grow and spread less quickly than the small cell variety.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous cell or epidermoid carcinoma accounts for more than 30 percent of lung cancers worldwide, making it the most common kind of lung cancer overall. Chiefly "linked to smoking, squamous cell carcinoma typically starts in the large bronchi and tends to stay confined to the chest for longer than other lung cancers. Because it does not progress as rapidly, epidermoid lung cancer usually has better prognoses and survival rates than other forms.
Adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma is on the rise in the United States. Although the causes of adenocarcinoma are still being studied, this form of non-small cell lung cancer now constitutes approximately 35 percent of all lung cancer in the US. Adenocarcinoma tumors are frequently found along the outer edges of the lungs and under the lining of the bronchi. The progression rate of adenocarcinoma is average, but the five-year patient survival odds are still less than 10 percent.
Large Cell Lung Cancer
Large cell lung cancer is the term given to carcinomas that do not fit into the other categories. Largely associated with smoking, these large cell carcinomas are often found in the smaller bronchi. This category accounts for about 15 percent of lung cancer cases. Large cell lung cancer tends to progress quickly, and the outlook for recovery is frequently unfavorable.
Silicosis
Silicosis is one of the oldest and most dangerous occupational conditions in the world. The condition is caused by prolonged exposure too silica dust, which is released during the mining of coal, quartz, sandstone, granite, slate, and flint. When silica dust is inhaled, the dust particles cause scar tissue that handicaps the lungs' air sacs, inhibiting the flow of oxygen.
Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the pleura, the membrane lining the lungs. Both pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma (which affects the heart) are caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos. Symptoms of mesothelioma cancer often don't surface until the cancer is very advanced, so it is important to undergo a screening if you have been exposed to asbestos for a long duration of time.
Other Types of Lung Cancer
Some less common varieties of lung cancer are carcinoid tumor and bronchioalveolar carcinoma. Carcinoid tumors form in the glands near the bronchi. Bronchioalveolar carcinoma develops around scars on the outer edges of the lungs.
Contact a Lung Cancer Lawyer to Review Your Case
If you or someone you love have developed lung cancer or a lung disease and have been exposed to asbestos, silica dust, radon gas, and benzene, smoking may not be to blame for your condition. It is important to contact a lung cancer attorney in your area to discuss your legal rights.
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