Definition:
Nonsmall cell lung cancer is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for 85 to 90% of all lung cancer cases. Nonsmall cell lung cancer tends to grow and spread more slowly than small cell lung cancer.
Nonsmall cell lung cancer is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for 85 to 90% of all lung cancer cases. Nonsmall cell lung cancer tends to grow and spread more slowly than small cell lung cancer.
There are three types of cancer that are considered nonsmall cell lung cancer:
- Squamous cell carcinoma - starts in the middle of the lung close to an air tube (bronchus); approximately 25 to 30% of all nonsmall cell lung cancers are squamous cell.
- Adenocarcinoma - most often occurs in the outer part of the lung; 40% of nonsmall cell lung cancers fall under the adenocarcinoma category.
- Large-cell carcinoma - starts anywhere in the lungs and is often fast moving and harder to treat than the other two forms of nonsmall cell lung cancer; 10 to 15% of nonsmall cell lung cancers are large-cell lung cancer.
Upward of 90% of all lung cancer cases in the United States today are directly attributable to cigarette smoking, with more people dying of lung cancer than any other form of cancer.
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