What is Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is a cancer that usually starts in the lining of the bronchi (the medium-sized airways within lungs), but can also begin in other areas of your respiratory system, including the trachea (main breathing tube), bronchioles (smaller branches of the air passages), or alveoli (the tissue farther out in the periphery of the lung). It is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. In 2011, 221,130 new cases of lung cancer were expected, according to the American Cancer Society.
Lung cancers are believed to develop over a period of many months to years. Nearly all lung cancers are “carcinomas” -- tumors that begin in the lining or covering tissues of an organ. The tumor cells of each type of lung cancer grow and spread differently, and the treatments of these various types differ to some extent. About 85 percent to 90 percent of lung cancers belong to the group called non-small cell lung cancer.
Types
- Non-Small Lung Cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer is much more common than small cell lung cancer.
Surgery is a key component of therapy used far more often for non-small cell lung cancer than for small cell lung cancer. The three main kinds of non-small cell lung cancer are named for the type of cells in the tumor:- Adenocarcinoma usually begins in the periphery of the lung and under the lining of the bronchi. It is the most common type of lung cancer in people who have never smoked.
- Squamous cell carcinoma is also called epidermoid carcinoma. It often begins in the bronchi near the middle of the lungs.
- Large cell carcinomas are a group of cancers with large, abnormal-looking cells. These tumors may begin anywhere in the lungs.
- Small cell lung cancer
Small cell lung cancer is a form of neuroendocrine cancer that often grows rapidly and quickly spreads to other organs. It often responds to chemotherapy and radiation more impressively than does non-small cell cancer. There are two stages of small cell lung cancer:- Limited stage- cancer is generally found only in one lung. There may also be cancer in nearby lymph nodes on the same side of the chest.
- Extensive stage - cancer has spread beyond the primary tumor in the chest to other parts of the body.
- Neuroendocrine tumors (formerly called carcinoid)
- Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare form of chest cancer, largely caused by exposure to asbestos. The cancer usually forms in the mesothelial cells that line the lung and the chest wall. Despite current advanced technologies, mesothelioma is still a difficult-to-treat, aggressive cancer. Stanford researchers and physicians are actively involved in developing new and better treatments for this disease, and where appropriate can offer patients access to experimental therapies through clinical trials.
Trial Administration