Adenocarcinoma tends to occur in which patient profile?

Prepare for your CVP and GI Pathology Exam. Study using flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations to excel in your test.

Adenocarcinoma of the lung most commonly occurs in people who have never smoked. This histology is the most frequent form in nonsmokers (and is also common in women) and it often arises peripherally in the lung. Smoking is a strong risk factor for other lung cancer types, particularly squamous cell and small cell carcinomas, so their association with heavy smoking makes them more likely in that profile. While asbestos exposure increases lung cancer risk in general and can be linked with adenocarcinoma, the standout patient profile for this cancer is a nonsmoker. Extremely young patients (children) have a very low incidence of primary lung cancers, so that profile is not typical.