Email page
Print page
Lung Cancer Prevention
General Information About Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the lung.
The lungs are a pair of cone-shaped breathing organs in the chest.
The lungs bring oxygen into the body as you breathe in. They release carbon dioxide, a
waste product of the body's cells, as you breathe out.
Each lung has sections called lobes. The
left lung has two lobes. The right
lung is slightly larger, and has three lobes. A thin membrane called the
pleura surrounds the lungs. Two
tubes called bronchi lead from the
trachea (windpipe) to the right and
left lungs. The bronchi are sometimes also involved in lung cancer. Tiny air sacs called alveoli and small tubes called
bronchioles make up the inside of
the lungs. 
There are two types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.
See the following PDQ summaries for more information about lung cancer:
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women.
More people die from lung cancer than from any other type of cancer. Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the United States, after skin cancer.
The number of new cases and deaths from lung cancer is highest in black men.
Email this Page
Print this Page Physicians can call our dedicated consultation referral service at 1-800-373-4111.
22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201