what type of cancer cells are associated with lung cancer? is it benign? malignant? or both?

Answer 1

Lung cancer is malignant. In general there are cancers caused by large cells and by small cells. The latter are far more agresive.

Answer 2

All cancer cells are "malignant". Cancer is defined by abnormal cell growth which does not respond to the normal growth mediators in the body. Some cancers are more"malignant" than others in that they progress more rapidly and generally have a worse prognosis. For example both melanoma and basil cell carcinoma are cancers arising in the skin but melanoma is far more "malignant".

As far as lung cancers are concerned they can arise from any cell-type in the lung but the majority of lung cancers are "adenocarcinomas" meaning they arise from cells that line the passages in the lung (called epithelium). Among adenocarcinomas of the lung the two major types are small cell and non-small cell carcinomas. By far the type with the worse prognosis and hence the most "malignant" is small cell carcinoma.

The Wikipedia has a very good discussion of lung cancer.

Answer 3

Benign means non or not cancerous. Malignant cells are cancerous cells! I hope I spelled biopsy correct.Normal cells
reproduce in a methodical manner in accordance with genetic coding; cancerous growth is uncontrolled,spreading throughout the body,destroying or replacing normal cells.
Cancer cells have the unique ability to propagate outside the organ where they originate; the cells may be carried in the blood or lymphatic channels to other parts of the body where they attack healthy tissue.The risk of exposure may be lessened by avoiding known carcinogens, or cancer causing agents. Most cancer is treatable, so early warning is also one of the best lines of defense. Cigarettes are a known carcinogen, as are certain occupations such as firemen,coal miners,welders etc! Malignant is descriptive of that which is a danger to health and well-being;likely to cause death.

My father started to cough up blood which was an warning sign he had a lung malignancy.

Answer 4

RHM is close but not quite right.
"Adeno" carcinoma cells in lung cancer come from glandular tissue.
Epithelial tissues that become malignant are "squamous" cell carcinomas of the lung.
Both squamous cell and adenocarcinomas of the lung are grouped together as "non- small cell cancers of the lung.
So called "small cell" or "oat cell" carcinomas of the lung arise from a different cell type - probably more in depth than you really want to know.
There are other cell types which are less common. Again, this may be more detail than you want.
Basically the above answers are right regarding small cell cancer being more aggressive (but also more responsive to chemotherapy) while non small cell cancers of the lung are more common, usually progress more slowly, but respond relatively poorly to chemotherapy.
MD Medical oncology - cancer specialist

Answer 5

I believe cancer cells are cancer cells, meaning they are all benign UNTIL they turn malignant. Some do, some don't.

Answer 6

it all really depends on the kind of cell it is- some will appear just once, or the worst kind will keep appearing even if it is removed and might metastasize (spelling?) (expand to other places of the body)

Answer 7

It would be malignant.

Answer 8

both