Introduction to Neoplasms of the Lung and Tracheobronchial Tree

The introduction to neoplasms of the lung and tracheobronchial tree addresses the different types of malignant and benign neoplasms of the lung. The most common primary lung neoplasm is lung cancer. It represents the most common cause of cancer mortality in American men and women. Lung cancer is comprised by four major cell types including adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, small cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma. Many patients with lung cancer are symptomatic at presentation and most present with advanced disease. Lung cancer has a variety of imaging manifestations including nodules, masses, post-obstructive atelectasis/pneumonia, intrathoracic lymphadenopathy, extrapulmonary involvement and/or metastatic disease. Carcinoid tumor is an uncommon primary lung malignancy that often affects the airways, but typically exhibits an indolent behavior. Benign pulmonary neoplasms are rare and include neoplasms of the lung and airways such as hamartoma and endobronchial mesenchymal neoplasms. Pulmonary metastases are probably the most common pulmonary neoplasms and usually manifest as multifocal pulmonary nodules and masses.