Lung Cancer

Primary lung cancer starts in the cells of the lung.

The 2 main types of lung cancer are:

Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): the most common type of lung cancer. It grows more slowly than small cell lung cancer.
Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC): grows quickly and often spreads to distant parts of the body.

Each type of lung cancer behaves quite differently, so they are treated differently.

According to the Canadian Cancer Statistics 2025, it is estimated that around 32,900 Canadians will be diagnosed with lung cancer, of which 15,400 of them are men and 17,500 of them are women.

As for death rates, 19,400 individuals will die from lung and bronchus cancer, of which 10,100 are men and 9,300 are women. Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer mortality and it is estimated to represent more than 1 in 5 cancer deaths in Canada in 2025.

Source: Canadian Cancer Statistics 2025.