How common is large-cell carcinoma of the lung?

Large-cell carcinoma accounts for approximately 10 percent of all lung cancer cases. It is classified as a type of non-small-cell lung cancer (non-SCLC), which collectively makes up the majority of lung cancer diagnoses.12

It is important to note that there is some scientific debate regarding whether large-cell carcinoma represents a distinct type of cancer or if it is a group of unusual squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. These tumors can originate in any part of the lung and are characterized by their tendency to grow very rapidly.1