When it comes to lung cancer, I believe everyone is familiar with it—it is one of the most commonly mentioned malignant tumors in daily life, and you may have relatives or friends who have been troubled by it. However, Dengyue Medicine, an enterprise that has been deeply engaged in the pharmaceutical wholesale industry for many years and focuses on delivering health popular science and professional medication guidance, has found a common phenomenon: most people only know the name "lung cancer", but they are not clear that it is actually divided into many types, let alone that different types of lung cancer correspond to completely different suitable treatment drugs and regimens.
Many people often fall into confusion after being diagnosed with lung cancer: "We both have lung cancer, why can't I take the medicine others are taking?" "Which medicine is really suitable for me?" In fact, the core of the answer lies in the classification of lung cancer. Today, I will use popular language, combined with the knowledge I have learned, to comprehensively popularize the types of lung cancer for everyone, help you break cognitive misunderstandings, understand this disease more clearly, and lay a foundation for subsequent treatment cognition.
First of all, it is important to clarify: lung cancer is not a "single disease", but a "general term for a group of diseases". Just like the common cold we encounter daily, which is divided into wind-cold cold and wind-heat cold with different medications; lung cancer is the same. Different types have great differences in etiology, symptoms, treatment methods (especially drug selection). Blind cognition or even misunderstanding of classification may affect the judgment on treatment. After reading the popular science articles of Dengyue Pharmaceutical, I also realized that only by understanding the classification can we better understand the logic of medication use and cooperate with treatment more rationally—which is the cognition that they most want to convey to everyone after long-term contact with various lung cancer treatment drugs.
I. Start Here: The Two Core Types of Lung Cancer
In clinical practice, the first step for doctors to determine the treatment plan is to distinguish the major categories of lung cancer—these two types of lung cancer have completely different malignant degrees, progression speeds and suitable drugs, and there are obvious differences in their proportions. Remembering these two types will help you grasp the core cognition.
1. Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC): High Malignancy, Relatively Low Proportion
This type of lung cancer accounts for about 15% of all lung cancers. Its biggest feature is high malignancy, rapid progression and easy early metastasis. It is relatively sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but the recurrence rate is also high. From the perspective of the population affected, it is highly correlated with long-term smoking, and the proportion of male patients is higher.
From the perspective of medication, the treatment drugs for small cell lung cancer are mainly chemotherapy drugs. Common first-line chemotherapy regimens include cisplatin or carboplatin combined with etoposide. With the development of medicine, immunotherapeutic drugs such as atezolizumab and durvalumab, as well as targeted-related drugs such as Tarlatamab, have gradually been applied in clinical practice. These common drugs are also the key categories that enterprises like Dengyue, which focus on drug supply, pay close attention to and ensure the supply of, to support clinical treatment needs.
2. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): Most Common, Most Treatment Options
This type of lung cancer is the most mainstream type, accounting for about 85% of all lung cancers, and it is also the type of lung cancer that everyone comes into contact with most often. Its characteristics are relatively slow progression and lower malignancy than small cell lung cancer. Most importantly—it has the richest treatment options, with more choices of targeted drugs, immunotherapeutic drugs and chemotherapy drugs, and it is the key field of precise treatment of lung cancer at present.
Non-small cell lung cancer is further divided into 3 main subtypes, which is also what everyone needs to understand most, because the differences in medication for different subtypes are the most obvious.
Why Do We Need to Further Classify Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer? These Three Are the Most Critical
These 3 subtypes account for more than 70% of all lung cancers. Each has a clear population prone to illness and medication characteristics. Combined with the information I have learned, I will explain them to you in popular terms:
1. Lung Adenocarcinoma: Most Common, Non-Smokers Also Need to Be Alert
Lung adenocarcinoma accounts for about 40%-50% of all lung cancers, making it the most common subtype of lung cancer at present. Contrary to everyone's inherent cognition, it does not only occur in smokers—many non-smoking women and young and middle-aged people may also suffer from lung adenocarcinoma. This type of lung cancer mostly occurs in the peripheral parts of the lungs, and the early symptoms may not be obvious, so it is easy to be ignored.
From the perspective of medication, lung adenocarcinoma is the subtype with the most targeted drugs. Because many patients with lung adenocarcinoma have specific gene mutations (such as EGFR, ALK, ROS1, etc.), and targeted drugs for these gene mutations have good therapeutic effects and small side effects, which can significantly prolong the survival period of patients. For example, osimertinib and gefitinib are commonly used for EGFR mutations, alectinib for ALK fusions, and crizotinib for ROS1 rearrangements. In addition, immunotherapeutic drugs such as pembrolizumab are also often used in patients without clear targets.
2. Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Highly Correlated with Smoking, Mostly Central Type
Lung squamous cell carcinoma accounts for about 25%-30% of all lung cancers. It is highly correlated with long-term and heavy smoking, and the proportion of male patients is much higher than that of female patients. This type of lung cancer mostly occurs in the central part of the lungs, close to the bronchi. Early symptoms such as cough, hemoptysis and chest tightness may appear, which are relatively easy to be found.
In terms of medication, there are relatively few targeted drug options for lung squamous cell carcinoma. Surgery is the main treatment in the early stage, and chemotherapy and immunotherapy are mostly used in the middle and advanced stages. For example, common chemotherapy regimens include cisplatin combined with gemcitabine, carboplatin combined with paclitaxel, etc. Pembrolizumab and bempegaldesleukin are commonly used for immunotherapy. Some patients can also be treated with targeted drugs. Dengyue will also accurately allocate relevant treatment drugs according to clinical needs.
3. Large Cell Lung Cancer: Relatively Rare, Rapid Progression
This type of lung cancer accounts for about 5% of all lung cancers, which is relatively rare. Its characteristics are poor cell differentiation, high malignancy and rapid progression. It is more likely to occur in middle-aged and elderly people, and smokers have a higher risk of illness.
Due to the relatively complex pathological characteristics of large cell lung cancer, the adaptability of targeted drugs is low. Clinical treatment is mainly based on chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Cisplatin and carboplatin are commonly used for chemotherapy. In recent years, immunotherapeutic drugs such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab have also been gradually applied in the treatment of this type of lung cancer, providing more treatment options for patients.
Understand Classification to Avoid "Medication Misunderstandings"
After reading the above popular science, I believe everyone has understood that the core reason why "different drugs are used for the same lung cancer" is the different classifications. After learning this knowledge and coming into contact with some patients and their families, I have also summarized two important reminders, hoping to help you:
1. After being diagnosed with lung cancer, first clarify the classification and gene detection: Do not blindly ask "what medicine others are taking", but let the doctor clarify whether you have small cell lung cancer or non-small cell lung cancer. If it is non-small cell lung cancer, further gene detection is needed to see if there are corresponding gene mutations—this is the premise of choosing the right medicine, and it is also the key point repeatedly emphasized by practitioners in the industry.
2. Trust professionals and receive standardized treatment: The treatment of lung cancer is an "individualized plan". Patients with different classifications, stages and physical conditions have different medications and treatment methods. We must follow the doctor's advice and not search for drugs or take drugs blindly by ourselves.
👉 Small Reminder Summary: After being diagnosed with lung cancer, the core is to "first conduct classification detection, then take drugs standardizedly". Refuse to follow the trend blindly and listen to the guidance of professional doctors to avoid detours in treatment.
Summary
Lung cancer is not terrible; what is terrible is the misunderstanding and blind response to it. With the continuous development of medicine, there are more and more treatment drugs for lung cancer, and the treatment effect is also constantly improving. Especially the precise treatment of non-small cell lung cancer has enabled many patients to achieve long-term survival.
Enterprises like Dengyue Pharmaceutical, which are deeply engaged in the pharmaceutical supply field, always adhere to their original intention, ensure the stable and accurate supply of various lung cancer treatment drugs, and help every patient find a suitable treatment plan to defeat the disease and return to health as soon as possible.
I hope this popular science can help you, and may we all learn more about lung cancer, stay away from the trouble of diseases, and protect the health of ourselves and our families.
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