Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Types, Stages, Treatment
Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2009/04/04 - Updated: 2023/01/31
Topic: Lung Cancer - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer forms in lung tissues, usually in the cells lining the air passages. Two main types are Small Cell Lung Cancer and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Early lung cancer often does not cause symptoms. As cancer progresses, common symptoms may include persistent or worsening cough, breathing problems, constant chest pain, coughing up blood, a hoarse voice, frequent lung infections, fatigue, and unintentional weight loss.
Introduction
Lung Cancer (non-small cell) forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining the air passages. The two main types are Small Cell Lung Cancer and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
Alternate Names: Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Lung Cancer, Large Cell Lung Carcinoma, Large Cell Lung Cancer, Adenocarcinoma of the Lung, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma, Lung Carcinoma.
The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) has included Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer - with metastases to or beyond the hilar nodes or inoperable, unresectable or recurrent as a Compassionate Allowance to expedite a disability claim.
Main Content
Diagnosis of the type of cancer is based on microscopic examination. About 87% of lung cancers are Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers. This type spreads more slowly than Small Cell Lung Cancer. The three types of Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma are Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Large Cell Carcinoma, and Adenocarcinoma.
In Stage III B, It has yet to spread to distant sites. Stage III B has two combinations that make up this stage.
In the first combination (Any T, N3, MO), cancer has spread to lymph nodes near the collarbone on either side and hilar nodes or mediastinal lymph nodes opposite the primary tumor.
In the second combination (T4, any N, MO), the tumor has grown into the space behind the chest bone and in front of the heart (the mediastinum), the heart, the large blood vessels near the heart (such as the aorta), the windpipe, the esophagus, the backbone, or the carina:
Two or more separate tumor nodules are present in the same lobe of a lung, or There is a fluid containing cancer cells in the space around the lung (a malignant pleural effusion).
In Stage IV (Any T, Any N, M1), the tumor can be any size and may or may not have grown into nearby structures or reached nearby lymph nodes. It has spread to distant sites.
Early lung cancer often does not cause symptoms. As cancer progresses, common symptoms may include persistent or worsening cough, breathing problems, constant chest pain, coughing up blood, a hoarse voice, frequent lung infections, fatigue, and unintentional weight loss.
The following may be used to diagnose the disease: physical exam and history, chest x-ray, CT scan, PET scan, sputum cytology, bronchoscopy, fine needle aspiration biopsy, thoracoscopy, thoracotomy, and mediastinoscopy.
Treatment of Stage III B Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma may include surgery, external radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of all three.
Treatment of Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma may include internal and external radiation as palliative therapy to relieve pain and symptoms and improve quality of life.
Diagnosis in the early stages provides the greatest chance for survival; however, symptoms of lung carcinoma usually do not appear until the disease is in an advanced stage. Treatment for Stage IV will not cure cancer, but it can reduce symptoms and extend and improve the quality of life.
The 5-year survival rate for Lung Cancer is 15%. Late-stage Lung Cancer has a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. Most Lung Cancer patients die within a year of diagnosis.
Author Credentials: Ian is an Australian-born writer, editor, and advocate who currently resides in Montreal, Canada. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.