Lung Cancer

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death in the USA and is strongly associated with cigarette smoking. Adenocarcinoma is the most common cell type, followed by squamous cell carcinoma, small cell lung cancer, and large cell carcinoma. Adenocarcinoma is typically a peripheral nodule or mass. Although invasive adenocarcinomas may metastasize early, many adenocarcinomas manifesting as subsolid nodules exhibit an indolent behavior. Squamous cell carcinoma and small cell lung cancer are centrally located and are intimately associated with cigarette smoking. Squamous cell lung cancer grows rapidly but metastasizes late. Small cell lung cancer is an aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma, and affected patients often present with advanced disease and have a poor prognosis. Lung cancer has a wide variety of pulmonary manifestations on imaging including: nodules, masses, atelectasis, consolidation, and multifocal pulmonary lesions.