Types of Lung Cancer

There are two known types of lung cancer, and defining the type depends on where the cancerous tumor started in the body. The currently definable types of lung cancer are primary lung cancer, where the cancer started in the lungs and secondary lung cancer, where the cancer has spread to the lungs.

Primary Lung Cancer

Primary lung cancer can be divided into two types of lung cancer. There is the small cell lung cancer and the non-small cell lung cancer.

Small cell lung cancer comprises about 20% of diagnosed lung cancers. Small cell lung cancer's name is based on the fact that the cells of this cancer are quite small compared to other cancerous cells, and this cancer is primarily caused by smoking. It spreads rather quickly and calls for doctors to treat it with chemotherapy.

Non-small cell lung cancer can be further divided into three additional types of lung cancer. These "sub-categories" are squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma. These three conditions are grouped together because they attack the body in the same way and respond to treatment differently than the way in which small cell lung cancer responds. Mesothelioma is also a type of lung cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos.

Secondary Lung Cancer

Secondary lung cancer is cancer that started somewhere else in the body and has spread to the lungs. Secondary lung cancer could be the result of the spread of breast cancer, bowel cancer or from a tumor anywhere else in the body. It's important to understand what type of cancer has spread into the lungs since the treatment will depend on that knowledge. For example, if breast cancer has spread to the lungs, the cells in the lungs are considered breast cancer cells and not lung cancer cells. Consequently, treatment will need to follow breast cancer treatment protocols to ensure the best possible results.

It is very important to understand the types of lung cancer you could potentially suffer from as a result of smoking. All of these factors will affect what type of treatment you should undergo, and potentially who could be responsible for your suffering.

If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer and also smoke, it is important to understand your legal options. You should contact an attorney that is familiar with these types of issues and the recent decision made by the Florida Supreme Court. The Court's decision that smoking is addictive and causes several horrible diseases has made it easier for an individual to file a case against the tobacco industry. Contact an attorney today to protect your rights that have been defined by the Florida Supreme Court.