Lung Cancer Diagnosis

After a lung cancer diagnosis, there’s a lot of information to take in at once. Let’s start with the most important.

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This website is only intended for UK patients who have been prescribed TAGRISSO® (osimertinib)

Home  |  Know your lung cancer
Lung cancer diagnosis

Lung cancer diagnosis

After a lung cancer diagnosis, there’s a lot of information to take in at once. Let’s start with the most important.

There are two main types of lung cancer, which are separated from each other because of the type of cells that the cancer starts in. The type of lung cancer you have determines your treatment options:1

  • Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

  • Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

Lung cancer is the third most common type of cancer,2,3 with around 48,500 people diagnosed with the condition every year in the UK. NSCLC is a type of lung cancer.1 About 80% to 85% of lung cancers are NSCLC.1,4

Lung cancer can start in any part of the lungs or airways and happens when abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way. Abnormal cells can form lumps called tumours, which grow within the lung or spread to other parts of the body.2,5

Knowing your cancer type helps your doctor to determine the right treatment plan.1

Many NSCLC patients who are diagnosed in early stages are candidates for complete tumour removal by surgery (also known as ‘resectable NSCLC’). Some patients may receive chemotherapy following their surgery.6,7 However, even with surgery, the cancer may return. That’s why biomarker testing  is critical.8 Testing at the earliest possible opportunity provides your doctor with information to help decide which treatment is most appropriate for you by determining if you have a specific mutation type that may be driving the growth of your cancer.9
 

A Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) diagnosis can come as quite a shock and bring uncertainty about what your future holds. You may have a lot on your mind with so much new information coming your way all at once.
 

Just know that while each person with lung cancer has different needs, you are not alone. Your healthcare team is there to support you. Now that you and your doctor have chosen a treatment, you may find comfort in knowing that there is a treatment path forward.

EGFR image
EGFR image

 

 

EGFR is a protein present on the cell surface which can control how cells grow and divide.10

EGRF mutation image
EGRF mutation image

All cells contain DNA which is a set of instructions which tell the cell how to behave. A mutation is a change in the DNA of a cell. Some mutations are completely harmless, but some can cause cells to behave abnormally and lead to diseases like cancer.11,12 Some patients with NSCLC have a mutation in the gene for EGFR, this can cause lung cancer tumours to grow quicker as a result of a change in how these EGFR proteins function.13
 

Common types of EGFR mutation include exon 19 deletion and L858R substitution. Each account for approximately 45% of all EGFR mutations.13

Targeted cancer therapy image
Targeted cancer therapy image

 

TAGRISSO contains the active substance osimertinib, which belongs to a group of medicines called protein kinase inhibitors which are used to treat cancer. TAGRISSO is used to treat adults with a type of lung cancer called ‘non-small cell lung cancer.’ If a test has shown that your cancer has certain changes (mutations) in a gene called ‘EGFR’ (epidermal growth factor receptor) your cancer is likely to respond to treatment with TAGRISSO.14,15

Biomarker testing image
Biomarker testing image

 

Biomarker tests help identify what type of cancer you have, and therefore enable your doctor to determine which treatment options may be right for you.9

Biomarker
testing

Biomarkers may help determine the optimal treatment for you

References:

  1. Cancer Research UK (CRUK). Types of lung cancer. Last reviewed: 28 Jan 2020. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/lung-cancer/stages-types-grades/types Accessed December 2023.
  2. Cancer Research UK (CRUK). What is lung cancer? Last reviewed: 11 Sep 2019.  Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/lung-cancer/about Accessed December 2023.
  3. Cancer Research UK (CRUK). Lung cancer statistics. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/lung-cancer#heading-Zero Accessed December 2023.
  4. Bareschino MA, et al. Treatment of advanced non small cell lung cancer. J Thorac Dis. 2011;3(2):122-33.
  5. Cleveland Clinic. Lung Cancer. Last reviewed: 07 Oct 2019. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4375-lung-cancer Accessed December 2023.
  6. Lackey A, Donington JS. Surgical management of lung cancer. Semin Intervent Radiol. 2013;30(2):133-40. 
  7. Cancer Research UK (CRUK). Chemotherapy treatment for lung cancer. Last reviewed: 30 Oct 2019. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/lung-cancer/treatment/chemotherapy/chemotherapy-treatment  Accessed December 2023.
  8. Henry NL, Hayes DF. Cancer biomarkers. Mol Oncol. 2012;6(2):140-6. 
  9. NIH. Biomarker Testing for Cancer Treatment. Last reviewed: 14 Dec 2019. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/biomarker-testing-cancer-treatment Accessed December 2023.
  10. NIH NCI Dictionary. EGFR gene. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/egfr  Accessed December 2023.
  11. NIH NCI Dictionary. Mutation. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/mutation  Accessed December 2023.
  12. Cancer Research UK (CRUK). How cancer starts? Last reviewed: 1 July 2020. Available at:  https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/what-is-cancer/how-cancer-starts  Accessed December 2023.
  13. AACC. Mutations in the EGFR Pathway. Available at: https://www.aacc.org/cln/articles/2013/october/egfr-mutations Accessed December 2023.
  14. Tagrisso 40 mg and 80 mg film coated tablets. Summary of product characteristics.
  15. Tagrisso 40 mg and 80 mg film coated tablets. Patient Information Leaflet.


GB-73009  I  DOP: January 2026

This website is only intended for UK patients who have been prescribed TAGRISSO® (osimertinib), which is indicated after surgery in adults with stage 1B-3A NSCLC with a particular EGFR mutation, and also in locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with a particular EGFR mutation. It does not replace the Patient Information Leaflet, which you can find in the carton containing your medicine and which you should read alongside this information. If you have any questions about your treatment, talk to your healthcare team or refer to the Patient Information Leaflet.