Types of Lung Histologies
There are two groups of histologies for lung: non-small cell carcinoma (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, neuroendocrine carcinoma) and small cell carcinoma.
The most common histology codes for lung are
| ICD-O-3 code | ICD-O-3.2 Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8041/3 | Small cell carcinoma | There are several different types of small cell carcinoma, including a mix of small cell and other cell types. These cancers grow rapidly-doubling in cell number about every 30 days, and spread quickly to lymph nodes and other organs. |
| 8140/3 | Adenocarcinoma, NOS | Although adenocarcinoma is common, it usually presents as subtypes of adenocarcinoma. Many tumors have multiple patterns. See the solid tumor rules on how to code patterns. |
| 8070/3 | Squamous cell carcinoma | Most squamous cell carcinomas originate in the larger bronchi of the lung. These terms are more strongly linked with smoking. |
| 8012/3 | Large cell carcinoma | Variants of large cell carcinoma include
|
Updated: April 8, 2026
Suggested Citation
SEER Training Modules: Types of Lung Histologies. U.S. National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. Cited 12 April 2026. Available from: https://training.seer.cancer.gov.