Non-small-cell lung cancer

Non-small-cell lung cancer
Other namesNon-small-cell lung carcinoma
Micrograph of a squamous carcinoma, a type of non-small-cell lung carcinoma, FNA specimen, Pap stain.
SpecialtyOncology 

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), or non-small-cell lung carcinoma, is a type of epithelial lung cancer other than small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Non-small-cell lung cancer accounts for about 85% of all lung cancers. As a class, non-small-cell lung cancers are relatively insensitive to chemotherapy, compared to small-cell carcinoma. When possible, they are primarily treated by surgical resection with curative intent, although chemotherapy has been used increasingly both preoperatively (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) and postoperatively (adjuvant chemotherapy).