Adenocarcinoma usually is formed in the mucus glands of the lung. This is the most common type of lung cancer in women and in people who have not smoked. Because of its location in the peripheral portions of the lung, adenocarcinoma can invade the lining of the chest and produce fluid in the chest cavity more commonly than in other types. Large cell carcinomas form near the surface of the lungs and are commonly associated with the spread of the tumor to the brain. These types of tumors can grow rapidly and often spread before they are diagnosed.
Smokers have significantly higher risk for developing lung cancer.
Workers exposed to asbestos, nickel, chromium compounds and chloromethyl ether also are at a significantly higher risk. Symptoms do not always appear in the early stages of lung cancer. For small cell lung cancer, chemotherapy is the foundation of treatment. It treats tumors too small to detect that may have metastasized to other parts of the body. With aggressive chemotherapy and radiation, up to 40 percent of patients with small cell lung cancer confined to the chest can be cured.