cancer

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             Mediastinoscopy: with the patient asleep, tissue samples are taken from the lymph nodes along the windpipe through a small hole cut into the neck. Again, looking at the tissue under a microscope can show if cancer cells are present. .
             Bone marrow biopsy: a needle is used to remove a small piece of bone, usually from the back of the hip bone. The sample is checked for cancer cells. .
             Blood tests: certain blood tests are often done to help see if the lung cancer has spread to the liver or bones. .
             Types of Lung Cancer .
             There are two major types of lung cancer. The first is small cell lung cancer, or SCLC. The other is non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC. If the cancer has features of both types, it is called mixed small cell/large cell cancer. .
             Small cell lung cancer accounts for about 20% of all lung cancers. Although the cancer cells are small, they can multiply quickly and form large tumors. The tumors can spread to the lymph nodes and to other organs such as the brain, the liver, and the bones. Small cell lung cancer is usually caused by smoking. Other names for small cell lung cancer are oat cell cancer and small cell undifferentiated carcinoma. .
             Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for almost 80% of lung cancers. There are three subtypes within this group. Some types grow more quickly than others. Ask your doctor to explain which of these you have. .
             There are a few other rare types of lung cancer not covered in this document.
             After the Tests: Staging .
             Staging is the process of finding out how far the cancer has spread. This is very important because your treatment and the outlook for your recovery depend on the stage of your cancer. There are different staging systems for small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. .
             Small cell lung cancer staging .
             For small cell lung cancer a two-stage system is most often used. These are limited stage and extensive stage. Limited stage usually means that the cancer is only in one lung and in lymph nodes on the same side of the chest.