Lung cancer is the malignant tumor with the highest global incidence and mortality rates. With the widespread application of chest CT, its detection rate has shown a gradual upward trend. Early-stage lung cancer lesions typically appear on chest CT as pure ground-glass nodules, solid nodules, and mixed ground-glass nodules. Lung cancer associated with cystic airspaces (LCCA), as a subtype with distinctive imaging features, is also being detected with increasing frequency. Pathologically, LCCA is predominantly adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, often characterized by thick walls, solid components, and necrotic tissue, suggesting a more aggressive behavior. Given that the early imaging manifestations of LCCA lack specificity, it is prone to clinical misdiagnosis as benign conditions such as pulmonary infection, pulmonary bullae, or tuberculosis, leading to missed or incorrect diagnosis. Currently, related research primarily focuses on its pathogenesis, imaging morphology, and diagnosis, while systematic investigation into its clinical treatment strategies and prognosis remains insufficient. Therefore, this article provides a review of recent research advances in the pathogenesis, imaging features, radiomics and histopathological characteristics, diagnosis, genetic mutation profiles, as well as treatment and prognosis of LCCA.