It is so called because the cancer cells are small. Non small cell lung cancers fall into 3 common types and make up about 87 out of 100 lung cancers (87%). These types are grouped together because they behave in a similar way. They respond to treatment differently to small cell lung cancer.here are three common types of non small cell lung cancer. These are grouped together because they behave in a similar way and respond to treatment in a different way to small cell lung cancer. They make up about 87 out of 100 lung cancers in the UK (87%).