Lung cancer remains one of the most common and deadly malignancies worldwide, with its prognosis largely dependent on the stage at diagnosis and the tumour’s molecular profile. Despite advances in imaging, biopsy techniques, and therapeutic options, overall survival rates continue to be disappointing. Key risk factors include long-term tobacco smoking, environmental exposures (such as air pollution and radon), and genetic predispositions. From a classification standpoint, lung cancers are broadly divided into non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), the former accounting for the majority of cases and being further sub-typed into adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large-cell carcinoma. Recent years have seen significant progress in molecular characterisation — for example, actionable mutations in EGFR, ALK, ROS1 and others in NSCLC — which has enabled targeted therapies and immunotherapies to become part of standard care. Early detection through screening (such as low-dose CT) and delivering personalised treatment based on tumour biology are key strategies to improve outcomes. Nevertheless, major challenges remain: many patients still present at an advanced stage, access to advanced diagnostics and therapies is uneven globally, and treatment resistance often develops. Looking ahead, innovations in biomarkers, artificial intelligence for imaging and risk-stratification, and global efforts to improve equitable care offer hope for better management of lung cancer.