Non small cell lung cancer overview
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Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Microchapters |
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Differentiating Non Small Cell Lung Cancer from other Diseases |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Case Studies |
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Non small cell lung cancer overview On the Web |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Maria Fernanda Villarreal, M.D. [2]
Overview
Non small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is any type of epithelial lung cancer other than small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). NSCLC arises from the epithelial cells of the lung of the central bronchi to terminal alveoli. These tumors account for about 85% of all lung cancers.[1] As a class, NSCLC tumors are relatively insensitive to chemotherapy, compared to small cell carcinoma. When possible, they are primarily treated by surgical resection with curative intent, although chemotherapy is increasingly being used both pre-operatively (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) and post-operatively (adjuvant chemotherapy). The most common types of NSCLC are squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma, but there are several other types that occur less frequently, and all types can occur in unusual histologic variants and as mixed cell-type combinations.[2]
Historical Perspective
Classification
Non small cell lung carcinoma may be classified into several subtypes based on the WHO histological classification system