lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, primarily caused by tobacco smoking, and is classified into two main types: small cell lung cancer (SCLC), which accounts for 15-20% of cases and carries a poor prognosis with less than 5% five-year survival, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which comprises 80-85% of cases and has a more variable prognosis depending on stage at diagnosis. Clinical presentation ranges from local respiratory symptoms such as cough and hemoptysis to metastatic manifestations affecting the brain, bones, and liver, as well as paraneoplastic syndromes that may precede the cancer diagnosis itself. Medical students must understand the critical importance of early detection, accurate histological classification, and molecular testing for targeted therapy, as management strategies differ significantly between SCLC and NSCLC and depend heavily on staging at presentation.