US Medical Term · conditions
Lung Cancer
Cáncer de pulmón
What it means
Lung cancer is cancer that forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells that line the air passages. There are two main types, small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer; they grow differently and are treated differently, and non-small cell lung cancer is the more common type. The National Cancer Institute dictionary says the types are diagnosed based on how the cells look under a microscope. MedlinePlus calls smoking the most important risk factor for lung cancer. Lung cancer may not cause any signs or symptoms until the cancer is advanced. A health care provider may order imaging tests such as a chest x-ray or chest CT scan and may do a procedure to take a biopsy of the lung.
Lung Cancer in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Cáncer de pulmón
- Gender and article
- masculine: el cáncer de pulmón
- Pronunciation
- KAHN-sehr deh pool-MOHN
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cáncer pulmonar | General | A name MedlinePlus en español gives under 'Otros nombres' on its lung cancer page. |
| carcinoma broncopulmonar | General | The other name MedlinePlus en español gives under 'Otros nombres'; the English page lists bronchogenic carcinoma under 'Also called'. |
Cáncer de pulmón is the term used by MedlinePlus en español and by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary. Cáncer is masculine: el cáncer de pulmón. Under Otros nombres, MedlinePlus en español lists carcinoma broncopulmonar and cáncer pulmonar; the English page lists bronchogenic carcinoma. In both Spanish sources the two main types are cáncer de pulmón de células pequeñas (small cell) and cáncer de pulmón de células no pequeñas (non-small cell).
The two sources word the air passages differently: MedlinePlus en español writes los conductos de aire, and the NCI dictionary writes las vías respiratorias. Words MedlinePlus en español uses for the workup are radiografía de tórax (chest x-ray), tomografía computarizada de tórax (chest CT scan), esputo (sputum), biopsia and estadificación (staging); the stage itself is el estadio. Risk-factor words include fumar (smoking), humo de segunda mano (secondhand smoke), tabaquismo, asbesto and radón. Symptom words include tos con sangre (coughing up blood) and ronquera (hoarseness).
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | I have had a cough for two months, and it is getting worse. | Tengo tos desde hace dos meses, y está empeorando. |
| Clinician | Have you coughed up blood? | ¿Ha tosido sangre? |
| Patient | Once, last week. I have also lost weight without trying. | Una vez, la semana pasada. También he bajado de peso sin proponérmelo. |
| Clinician | Do you smoke, or did you smoke in the past? | ¿Fuma usted, o fumó en el pasado? |
| Patient | I smoked for twenty years, and my father had lung cancer. | Fumé durante veinte años, y mi padre tuvo cáncer de pulmón. |
| Clinician | I am going to order a chest x-ray and a chest CT scan. | Voy a pedirle una radiografía de tórax y una tomografía computarizada de tórax. |
| Patient | If the scan shows something, will I need a biopsy? | Si la tomografía muestra algo, ¿voy a necesitar una biopsia? |
| Clinician | We may do a procedure to take a biopsy of the lung. | Es posible que hagamos un procedimiento para tomar una biopsia del pulmón. |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Lung Cancer |
| Spanish (Español) | Cáncer de pulmón |
| Chinese (中文) | 肺癌 |
| Korean (한국어) | 폐암 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Ung thư phổi |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Cancer sa Baga |
| Portuguese (Português) | Câncer de pulmão |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | มะเร็งปอด |
| Japanese (日本語) | 肺がん |
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
ICD-10-CM code: C34 → Malignant neoplasm of bronchus and lungRelated terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Lungs and breathing
All terms in this area: Lungs and breathing — Pulmones y respiración
Sources
- Lung Cancer — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Cáncer de pulmón — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- lung cancer — NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms — National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH
- cáncer de pulmón — Diccionario de cáncer del NCI — Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (NCI), NIH
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 8, 2026