Although dysregulated gene expression of certain nAChR subunits (α5 increased; α3 and dupα7 decreased) could contribute to the oncogenic process in both tumor types, the two main differences are the under-representation of the cancer-inhibiting α4β2-nAChR subtype in ADC-L tumors and the overexpression of the main cancer-promoting α7-nAChR subtype in SQC-L tumors. This evidence concerns the gene CHRNA4 and cancer.