Lung & Bronchus

C33-C34WHO Vol. 5

Thorax (Respiratory & Mediastinum)

Key facts

New cases per year (worldwide)

2.5 million new cases and 1.8 million deaths (WHO, 2022) — the leading cause of cancer death

Estimated new cases (US)

229,410 in 2026 — 10.8% of all new cancer diagnoses (SEER)

5-year relative survival

29.5% overall; 65.5% localized, 38.2% regional, 10.5% distant (SEER, 2016–2022)

Main risk factors

Tobacco smoking accounts for 60–70% of cases (WHO); also secondhand smoke, air pollution, occupational exposures (e.g., asbestos), radiation

Screening

Annual low-dose CT (LDCT) in current and former heavy smokers lowers the risk of dying from lung cancer (NCI)

Typical age at diagnosis

Median 71 years (SEER)

Lung and bronchus cancer arises in the tissues of the lung, most often in the cells lining the airways. It comprises two main groups: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), about 85% of cases, which includes adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma; and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), about 15%, which grows quickly and tends to spread early. The most important risk factor is tobacco smoking, current or past; secondhand smoke, air pollution, radiation, and occupational exposures such as asbestos also raise risk. Typical signs include a cough that does not go away or worsens, breathlessness, wheezing, blood in the sputum, hoarseness, and unexplained weight loss — but early disease is often silent, and about half of cases are found only after distant spread. Diagnosis relies on imaging (chest X-ray, CT) and biopsy, with molecular testing of tumor tissue increasingly guiding treatment. Annual screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can detect the disease earlier in current and former heavy smokers.

Prognosis

Prognosis in lung cancer depends strongly on the stage at diagnosis and on the type (NSCLC vs SCLC). In US SEER data (2016–2022), 5-year relative survival is 29.5% across all stages combined: 65.5% when the cancer is still localized to the lung, 38.2% with regional spread, and 10.5% after distant spread — and about 51% of cases are diagnosed at the distant stage. Small cell lung cancer behaves more aggressively and is usually found after it has already spread. Outcomes are improving: US lung cancer death rates have fallen by about 4.1% per year over 2015–2024. These are population statistics drawn from large groups of past patients; they cannot predict the course of any individual person's disease, which also depends on the tumor's molecular features, overall health, and response to treatment.

🔬 Histological Types

📚 Latest Research

2026-09-12

Long-term safety of first-line osimertinib plus platinum-pemetrexed in EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC: FLAURA2.

Planchard D, et al

A long-term safety analysis of the phase 3 FLAURA2 trial demonstrates that grade ≥3 adverse event onset frequency progressively declined across successive treatment periods in patients receiving osimertinib plus platinum-pemetrexed for EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC — from 43% during the induction phase (triple combination, n=276) to 25% during pemetrexed maintenance (n=201) and 14% during the osimertinib-only period (n=206). Median treatment durations reached 2.8 months for induction, 12.4 months for pemetrexed maintenance, and 17.8 months for the osimertinib-only period, with rates of adverse events leading to osimertinib discontinuation remaining low (≤8%) throughout all phases. Hematological, gastrointestinal, and skin/nail toxicities were most frequent during induction and declined thereafter, while renal toxicity was more common during pemetrexed maintenance (19%, all grade 1/2) than induction (7%; one grade 3 event). These findings reinforce the favorable long-term benefit-risk profile of the FLAURA2 regimen for this patient population.

Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

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2026-09-11

Antibody therapeutics: A new era for EGFR-mutant NSCLC treatment.

Chen X, et al

A comprehensive review published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta synthesizes the rapidly evolving landscape of antibody-based therapeutics designed to overcome acquired resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The review covers monoclonal antibodies such as cetuximab and necitumumab, bispecific antibodies targeting EGFR and resistance pathways like MET, anti-angiogenic agents such as bevacizumab, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting HER2, HER3, and TROP2, which have demonstrated remarkable clinical efficacy in TKI-resistant settings. Emerging immunomodulatory strategies targeting the adenosine pathway (CD73), phagocytosis checkpoints (CD24), and complement regulatory proteins (CD55/CD59) are also examined, alongside next-generation ADCs and immune-engaging bispecific antibodies. Collectively, these antibody-based approaches are reshaping treatment for EGFR-mutant NSCLC, offering renewed hope for patients who have exhausted standard TKI options.

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Reviews on cancer

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2026-09-11

Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic technologies for lung cancer tumor microenvironment analysis.

Braicu C, et al

A new narrative review published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Reviews on Cancer concludes that spatially structured cellular ecosystems within the lung cancer tumor microenvironment, rather than individual cell types considered in isolation, are the primary determinants of therapeutic response and resistance. The authors systematically evaluated two complementary technologies — single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), which provides high-resolution maps of cellular diversity while sacrificing spatial context, and spatial transcriptomics (ST), which preserves tissue architecture but currently lacks whole-transcriptome coverage at true single-cell resolution across large tissue areas. Together, these approaches have uncovered functionally distinct cellular niches that drive immune evasion, metastasis, and resistance to treatment in lung cancer. The review also identifies technical, analytical, and logistic barriers that must be overcome before spatially resolved transcriptomic signatures can be incorporated into routine diagnostic pathology, and highlights candidate biomarkers and therapeutic targets arising from microenvironment-driven resistance mechanisms.

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Reviews on cancer

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