The statistics may surprise you: Lung cancer kills more women in the U.S. than any other cancer.
About 120,000 women They are diagnosed with lung cancer every year and around 60,000 women die from this disease. Although lung cancer is commonly associated with smoking, it is important to know that non-smokers can also get lung cancer.
Here’s what you need to know about the different types of lung cancer and how they are treated.
There are three types of lung cancer with many subtypes.
1. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) It constitutes 85 out of 100 of all lung cancer cases. Its main subtypes come from different types of lung cells, but the treatment options are often similar, so healthcare providers (HCPs) often group them together.
The main types of non-small cell lung cancer are:
adenocarcinoma
- It grows from mucus-producing cells in the outer parts of the lung, making it more likely to be diagnosed early.
- compensates approximately 4 out of 10 NSCLC Cases
- It is more common in women and younger people who develop lung cancer, including people who do not smoke.
Squamous cell carcinoma
- Tumors begin in squamous cells, which line the inside of the airways of the lungs.
- compensates approximately 3 out of 10 NSCLC Cases
- It generally develops in people with a history of smoking.
- They are often located near the center of the chest, which can make them difficult to treat.
Large cell carcinoma
- It can grow anywhere in the lung.
- invent about 1 in 10 cases lung cancer
- It tends to grow and spread quickly.
Other rare subtypes of NSLC
- Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma
- Adenosquamous carcinoma
- Sarcomatoid carcinoma
3. Lung carcinoid tumors
Lung carcinoid tumors grow in the lung neuroendocrine cells, which perform functions such as controlling the flow of air and blood in the lungs or adapting to the different levels of oxygen in the air we breathe. There are two types of lung carcinoid tumors: typical and atypical.
- lung carcinoid Tumors are rare and generally grow slowly.
- Typical carcinoid tumors constitute approximately 9 out of 10 pulmonary carcinoids.
- Atypical lung carcinoids tend to grow faster and are more aggressive.
Lung cancer treatment options
If your doctor thinks you have lung cancer, it is important that you get the correct diagnosis. This is because your lung cancer treatment will be based on the specific type and stage of lung cancer you have.
Treatment plans for lung cancer typically include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Your doctor may also recommend immunotherapy or, if your tumor contains genetic mutations or alterations, targeted therapy.
To learn about different treatment options for lung cancer, you can use the American Lung Association website. Lung Cancer Treatment Planning Tool. Includes a decision making worksheet You can download it to use when speaking with your healthcare professionals.
Biomarker testing
About 4 out of 10 people With NSCLC they are diagnosed with stage 4 disease, the most advanced type.
According to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, all patients with newly diagnosed stage 4 NSCLC should undergo lung cancer biomarker testing. These chemical signatures can indicate whether your tumor has a genetic mutation, meaning changes to your DNA could have caused you to develop cancer. If so, your doctor may use a targeted therapy designed for that mutation to fight your cancer.
Genetic mutations that can contribute to the growth of lung cancer often occur in one or more of these genes, including:
- EGFR
- ALK
- KRAS
- BRAF
- HER2
- ROS1
- RETIRED
- MET
- NTRK
- STK11
Your doctor may recommend other types of tests, including:
- PD-L1 testing: No matter what type or stage of lung cancer you have, your doctor may also recommend testing for PD-L1 on your tumor. This is a protein found on the surface of some cancer cells and prevents the body’s immune cells from destroying the cancer. Knowing if your tumor has PD-L1 will help your doctor decide if immunotherapy will be effective against your cancer. This test is not used if you have an EGFR or ALK mutation.
- Tumor mutational burden testing (TMB): Like PD-L1, TMB is a biomarker that can help tell your doctor whether immunotherapy might be effective against lung cancer. The TMB test shows the number of mutations within a tumor. Your immune system must be able to recognize at least one abnormal protein for immunotherapy to work. If you have an EGFR or ALK mutation, you will not have TMB testing.
- Circulating tumor DNA: Your doctor may use a blood test known as a liquid biopsy to learn about your cancer. The test collects dead cancer cells from the bloodstream so your doctor can learn the genetic makeup of the tumor.
Lung cancer is a complicated disease to treat, so you want your doctor to have as much information as possible about your tumor. Fortunately, medical research on treatments is advancing. Talk to your doctor about your options.
This educational resource was created with the support of Daiichi Sankyo and Novocure.
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