Pathology of lung tumours

Lung cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Approaches to diagnosis and management are evolving, based on both technological and scientific advances. In the UK setting, patient management is determined by a multidisciplinary team (MDT). A basic understanding of the classification of lung tumours, and the approaches to their pathological diagnosis is important for all those involved in the lung cancer MDT. To this end, we present an overview of the current World Health Organization classification of lung tumours, briefly discuss the aetiology and pathogenesis, and then describe pathological aspects of the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer.