Lung & Thoracic Cancers: Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University : Feinberg School of Medicine Lung & Thoracic Cancers Lung cancer affects more than 200,000 Americans each year. Although cigarette smoking is the main cause, anyone can develop lung cancer. There are two major types of lung cancer: non-small cell and small cell. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) arises from epithelial cells and is the most common type. Small cell lung cancer begins in the nerve cells or hormone-producing cells of the lung. The term "small cell" refers to the size and shape of the cancer cells as seen under a microscope. It is important for doctors to distinguish NSCLC from small cell lung cancer because the two types of cancer are usually treated in different ways. Lung cancer begins when cells in the lung grow out of control and form a lump (also called a tumor, mass, lesion or nodule). A tumor can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). A cancerous tumor is a collection of a large number of cancer cells that have the ability to spread to other parts of the body. A lung tumor can begin anywhere in the lung. Mesothelioma Non-small cell lung cancer Small cell lung cancer Thymoma & thymic carcinoma Our Experts Our experts work together in a multidisciplinary team (including dedicated, talented nursing staff and Lurie Cancer Center’s Supportive Oncology Team ) to help create a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan and provide you with exceptional support. Get to know our physicians and the many other experts who will play an important role in your care. meet the experts Clinical Trials Patients at the Lurie Cancer Center have access to a wide variety of clinical trials designed to explore promising new treatments. If you're interested in participating, browse our current trials to find options that may be relevant to your diagnosis—and help advance the future of cancer care. find related clinical trials Patient Support We offer a number of services to help patients and their families cope with the challenges of cancer treatment. Meet our support team Join a support group Browse our upcoming events see all our support services Lung & Thoracic Cancer News Tanning Beds Triple Melanoma Risk, Potentially Causing Broad DNA Damage Novel Biomarker May Predict Immunotherapy Resistance New Study Shows Lung Cancer Surveillance in the United States Misses Most Patients; Northwestern Medicine Investigators Urge Universal Age-based Screening Medical and MPH Students Present Research at Poster Session Uncovering New Therapeutic Targets for Cancer Mutations Artificial Intelligence and Medicine with Mozziyar Etemadi, MD, PhD Your support takes our research further. Donate & Volunteer