The aim of the present study was to analyze and summarize the clinicopathological characteristics of large-cell lung carcinoma (LCLC) of the lung, in order to improve the definite diagnosis rate of LCLC. Clinicopathological data of 174 patients with LCLC, confirmed pathologically, were retrospectively reviewed. The 174 cases of LCLC accounted for 5.7% of the total lung cancer cases during the corresponding time period at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Tianjin Medical University (Tianjin, China), among which there were 131 males and 43 females with an average age of 61.4 years. The postoperative pathological diagnosis of the 174 cases showed 80 cases of classic LCLC, 64 cases of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), six cases of combined LCNEC, 19 cases of basaloid carcinoma, three cases of clear cell carcinoma and two cases of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma. Of the total 174 LCLC cases, 96 patients exhibited lymph node metastasis. LCLC is a highly aggressive malignancy with a high tendency of invasion and metastasis, although the incidence rate is low. A definite diagnosis of LCLC primarily relies on the pathological diagnosis. Each subtype of LCLC has its own pathomorphological and immunohistochemical characteristics.