Lung cancer

Lung cancer is a neoplasm originating in the epithelium that covers the bronchial mucosa and alveoli. Its importance in the study of respiratory pathology is given not only by its aggressiveness but also by its increasing frequency throughout the 20th century and so far in the 21st century, to the point that today Thoracic Surgery Services consider it as one of their most common diseases. Furthermore, although initially it was a neoplasm that appeared almost exclusively in men, its incidence has increased to such an extent among women that currently they are about half of those who consult. This may be due to the increase in smoking among women, but also because adenocarcinomas are often diagnosed in non-smokers. There is still no explanation for this phenomenon, which was first described in women in Southeast Asia but is also seen among us. This has been our experience in both hospital and private practice.