National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
U.S. National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute
Dictionary of Cancer Terms
Send to Printer
non-small cell lung cancer

 A group of lung cancers that are named for the kinds of cells found in the cancer and how the cells look under a microscope. The three main types of non-small cell lung cancer are squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common kind of lung cancer.

Enlarge
Respiratory anatomy; drawing shows right lung with upper, middle, and lower lobes; left lung with upper and lower lobes; and the trachea, bronchi, lymph nodes, and diaphragm. Inset shows bronchioles, alveoli, artery, and vein.

Previous Definitions:nodule, nolatrexed, Nolvadex, nomogram, non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Next Definitions:nonblinded, nonconsecutive case series, noncontiguous lymphoma, nonfunctioning tumor, nonhematologic cancer