What is Lung Cancer?
In the United States, lung cancer remains the leading cause of death from cancer for both men and women. Although lung cancer can be caused by inhaling damaging substances such as asbestos, the vast majority of lung cancer cases are due to cigarette smoking. In men, cigarette smoking accounts for about 90 percent of all lung cancer cases; in women smoking accounts for about 80 percent of cases.
An expert team. The medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, thoracic surgeons, pathologists, and others at University of Colorado Cancer Center are experts in diagnosing and treating lung cancer. They pool their considerable knowledge to form a lung cancer team that is dedicated to providing you the best treatment available.
Common lung cancers
Non-small cell lung cancers
Non-small cell lung cancers account for about 85 percent of all lung cancers. Subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer include:
- Adenocarcinoma
- Bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma (BAC)
- Squamous carcinoma
- Large cell carcinoma
- Large cell neuro-endocrine carcinoma
- Mixed histology lung cancer
Small cell lung cancers
Small cell lung cancers account for about 15 percent of all lung cancers.
Rarer thoracic cancers and related cancers
- Mesothelioma
- Thymic carcinoma or thymoma
- Pulmonary/lung carcinoid
- Chest sarcoma
- Small cell cancers that arise from other parts of the body are usually treated similarly to small cell cancers of the lung. Because of this they are often treated by the same oncology team.