Lung tumor facts for kids

Lung tumors are growths that can appear in your lungs. Think of them like little lumps or bumps. Some of these growths are harmless, and we call them benign tumors. They don't spread to other parts of your body and usually aren't a big problem.

But other lung tumors can be cancer. Cancerous tumors are also called malignant tumors. These can grow and spread to other parts of your body if not treated. Sometimes, cancer that started somewhere else in the body, like in the bones or liver, can spread to the lungs. This is called metastasis or secondary cancer.

There are many different kinds of lung tumors, both benign and cancerous. Some are very common, while others are quite rare. Understanding the difference is important for doctors to help people who have them.

What Are Tumors?

A tumor is simply a group of cells that have grown too much and formed a mass. Our bodies are made of tiny building blocks called cells. Normally, cells grow, divide, and die in a controlled way. But sometimes, this process goes wrong. Cells might start to grow and divide much faster than they should, forming a lump or growth.

Benign Tumors: Usually Harmless

When a tumor is benign, it means it is not cancer. These tumors usually:

• Don't spread to other parts of the body.
• Grow slowly and stay in one place.
• Are often not life-threatening.
• Can sometimes be removed with surgery if they cause problems.

An example of a benign lung tumor is a bronchial leiomyoma. It's a rare type of growth that stays within the lung's airways.

Malignant Tumors: Cancer

When a tumor is malignant, it means it is cancer. These tumors are more serious because they can:

• Grow quickly and invade nearby tissues.
• Spread to other parts of the body through the blood or lymph system. This spreading is called metastasis.
• Need special medical treatment to stop them from growing and spreading.

The most common type of malignant lung tumor is called Lung cancer. This term usually refers to a type of cancer that starts in the lung cells themselves.

Types of Lung Tumors

Doctors classify lung tumors based on what kind of cells they come from and how they behave. Here are some examples:

Primary Lung Tumors

These are tumors that start directly in the lungs.

• Lung Cancer (Carcinoma of the Lung): This is the most common type of lung cancer. It starts in the cells lining the airways or air sacs of the lungs. There are different kinds of lung cancer, like small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.
• Pulmonary Carcinoid Tumor: These are a type of neuroendocrine tumor. They are often slow-growing and can sometimes be benign, but they can also be cancerous.
• Pleuropulmonary Blastoma: This is a very rare type of lung tumor that mostly affects young children.
• Lymphomas of the Lung: Lymphoma is a cancer that starts in the immune system cells. Sometimes, it can start or spread to the lungs.
• Sarcomas of the Lung: Sarcomas are rare cancers that start in the body's connective tissues, like muscle or bone. They can sometimes appear in the lungs.

Secondary Lung Tumors (Metastasis)

Sometimes, cancer that started in another part of the body can travel to the lungs. This is called metastasis. For example, if someone has cancer in their kidney, some cancer cells might break off, travel through the bloodstream, and start growing in the lungs. When this happens, the lung tumor is still named after where it started (e.g., metastatic kidney cancer in the lung), not as a new lung cancer.

How Doctors Find and Treat Lung Tumors

Doctors use different ways to find out if someone has a lung tumor and what kind it is. They might use:

• Imaging tests: Like X-rays, CT scans, or MRI scans, which take pictures inside the body.
• Biopsy: This is when a tiny piece of the tumor is taken out and looked at under a microscope. This helps doctors know if it's benign or cancerous.

Treatment for lung tumors depends on whether they are benign or malignant, their size, and if they have spread. For benign tumors, doctors might just watch them or remove them with surgery. For cancerous tumors, treatments can include surgery, chemotherapy (medicine to kill cancer cells), or radiation therapy (using high-energy rays to kill cancer cells).