What is "secondary" lung cancer?

Answer by  blueballoon (190)

"Secondary" lung cancer is not caused by secondhand smoke. The term "secondary" in this case refers to the fact that the cancer did not originate in the lungs, but elsewhere. For instance, a patient may have developed breast cancer that then spread to the lungs. Therefore, the patient would have "secondary" lung cancer.

Answer by  p1988711 (91)

Secondary lung cancer is cancer that has spreads to the lungs from somewhere else. It is not caused by secondhand smoke.

Answer by  mpartin (1600)

That means that the cancer did not start in the lungs but in another part of the body and has spread to the lungs.

Answer by  Connie45 (1110)

No. The term means that the cancer originated in another body organ, such as the breast, and metastasized to the lungs. Such secondary cancer cells have a characteristic appearance on x-ray or CT scan.