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Advanced Non‐Squamous Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Overview

What is lung cancer?

Lungs are a pair of spongy air-filled organs located in the chest and are primary for respiration (breathing) in humans. Inhaled air reaches lungs through the trachea (windpipe) which further branches out into bronchi, bronchioles and microscopic alveoli.

When some cells in the lung grow uncontrollably, the condition is called as lung cancer. Cancer cells do not develop into healthy lung tissue, but on the contrary, interfere with normal functions of the lung. Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancers in men as well as in both men and women taken together.

How different is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from lung cancer? What is nonsquamous NSCLC?

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a sub-type of lung cancer. It accounts for 80-85% of all lung cancers.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a sub-type of lung cancer which accounts for 80-85% of all lung cancer cases. Other sub-types are Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) and Lung Carcinoid Tumour. Among NSCLC, there are further sub-types: Squamous NSCLC and Nonsquamous NSCLC. Squamous NSCLC generally originates near central bronchus while nonsquamous NSCLC originates in the peripheral lung tissue. (For a schematic image of lung, see Figure 1)

Abbreviations

AJCC: American Joint Committee on Cancer CT scan: Computed Tomography scan EBUS: Endobronchial ultrasound EGFR: Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor IASLC: International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer IHC: Immunohistochemistry IUAC: International Union Against Cancer NSCLC: Non-small cell lung cancer MRI scan: Magnetic resonance imaging scan PET scan: Positron emission tomography scan RFA: Radiofrequency ablation SCLC: Small Cell Lung Cancer SVC: Superior vena cava TBNA: Transbronchial needle aspiration TNM: Tumor, node, metastasis staging system VATS: Video-assisted thoracic surgery VEGF: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

References

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