The Histological Varieties of Bronchial Carcinoma

It is important to realise that lung cancer is not a homogeneous entity but instead comprises a number of different histopathological groups and subgroups. A knowledge of the histopathology of lung tumours is not just of academic interest but provides a better framework for ascertaining the aetiology of a given tumour, predicting outcome and determining treatment. For example, small cell carcinoma behaves in a very different way from other types of lung cancer; it metastasises very early and is very often surgically inoperable by the time of diagnosis. On the other hand squamous cell carcinoma, if localised to the lung at operative resection, has a relatively good prognosis. The incidence of squamous cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma is greatly increased in smokers whereas adenocarcinoma does not show as great an increase.