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Oncology Health Series
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Understanding Lung Cancer
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You or someone you care about may have been diagnosed with
lung cancer. This handout will help you understand more about
lung cancer and how it affects your body.
Oxygen
Normal Anatomy of the Lungs
Your lungs are a pair of organs inside your
chest that allow you to breathe. You inhale
oxygen, which all cells need. Then you
exhale a waste gas, called carbon dioxide.
This gas
exchange
happens
inside tiny
air sacs in
your lungs.
Oxygen
Oxygen
Carbon
dioxide
Carbon
dioxide
Lymph
Lymph Blood
vessel
vessel vessel
Tumor
Tumor
There are two main types of lung cancer, small cell lung cancer
and non-small cell lung cancer. They are named for the kinds of
cells in the cancer, and how they look under a microscope.
• Non-small cell lung cancer is
the most common type of lung
cancer
• Small cell lung cancer is the
most aggressive type of lung
cancer. It grows and spreads
more quickly
Non-small
Non-small cell
cell
lung
lung cancer
cancer
Small
Small cell
cell
lung
lung cancer
cancer
Risk Factors for Lung Cancer
How Lung Cancer Develops and Spreads
Tumor
Tumor
Types of Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is a disease in which
normal lung cells change into harmful,
abnormal cancer cells. Cancer cells
multiply to form clusters called
tumors. These tumors grow and
destroy healthy lung tissue.
Lung cancer may spread to other
parts of your body through blood or
lymph fluid, a natural fluid that helps
gather unwanted waste material from
your body.
The most important risk factor for lung cancer is
smoking. Other risk factors include:
• Exposure to radon
• Exposure to harmful
chemicals
• A family history of lung
cancer
• Air pollution
• HIV infection
• Secondhand smoke
Symptoms of Lung Cancer
Lung cancer may have no symptoms in its early stages. When
symptoms do appear, they may include:
• chronic cough
• loss of appetite
• chest pain
• trouble swallowing
• trouble breathing
• weight loss
• coughing up blood
• tiredness
• hoarseness
• facial or neck swelling
For additional information please visit www.healthjourneysupport.com
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Oncology Health Series
Understanding Lung Cancer
Staging of Small Cell Lung Cancer
There are fewer stages for small cell lung cancer.
Staging of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
If you have lung cancer, your doctor will need
to determine the stage, or progression, of the
disease to help plan your treatment. Non-small
cell lung cancer has many stages.
• Occult stage: the cancer cells are
found only in lung fluids
Stage I
Tumor
Tumor
only
only
• Stage 0: abnormal or cancer
cells are found in the lining of the
airways
Stage II
• Stage I: a small tumor is found
Cancer
Cancer
has
has
spread
spread
• Stage II: the cancer has grown or
spread to nearby lymph nodes or
non-lung tissues
• Stage III-A: the tumor has grown
to any size. In addition, cancer is
found in lymph nodes on the same
side of the chest or nearby organs
“Limited stage:” the cancer
is found in one side of the
chest only.
The information in this handout has been created and peer reviewed by graduate-level
medical illustrators, followed by reviews from medical subject experts, either physicians
or PhDs on the Nucleus Medical Review Board, to ensure medical accuracy and audience
level appropriateness.
Stage III-B
• Stage III-B: similar to III-A, but
in III-B, cancer is found in lymph
nodes on the opposite side of the
chest. Cancer may also be found in
lymph nodes above the collarbone
As you deal with a diagnosis of lung
cancer, continue to talk to your doctor
and your cancer care team.
Stage III-A
Cancer
has spread,
but remains
on one side
“Extensive stage”: the cancer
has spread to the other side of
the chest or to distant organs.
Lymph
nodes
on other
side are
involved
The handout is intended to supplement the information you receive from your healthcare
provider and should never be considered personal medical advice. Always contact your
healthcare provider with health questions and concerns.
Stage IV
• Stage IV: tumors might be found in
both lungs. Additionally, cancer may
Tumors
have spread to distant organs
in both
lungs.
©2015 Nucleus Medical Media Inc. All rights reserved.
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