Large Cell Lung Cancer

Some carcinomas exist that do not fit into other categories of their type. These carcinomas have been labeled Large cell lung cancers. Since these cancers are widely associated with smoking, these large cell carcinomas are often found in the smaller bronchi. Accounting for about 15 percent of cases in this category, large cell lung cancers tend to progress quickly, and any outlook regarding recovery is not often favorable. Large Cell Lung Cancer is given its name because the abnormal cells in question appear large when viewed under a microscope. They often begin in the central part of the lung.

This type of carcinoma spreads into nearby lymph nodes and into the chest wall, and they can also metastasize into distant organs even when the tumor in the lung is relatively small. Symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing up blood, marked fatigue, unexplained weight loss or appetite loss. Because they often begin in the outer part of the lungs, symptoms show up as coughing up blood. Their presence in the outer lungs also causes fluid buildup in the space between tissues and lung lining.