Lung cancer is a highly fatal disease that poses a significant global health burden. The absence of characteristic clinical symptoms frequently results in the diagnosis of most patients at advanced stages of lung cancer. Although low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening has become increasingly prevalent in clinical practice, its high rate of false positives continues to present a significant challenge. In addition to LDCT screening, tumor biomarker detection represents a critical approach for early diagnosis of lung cancer; unfortunately, no tumor marker with optimal sensitivity and specificity is currently available. Metabolomics has recently emerged as a promising field for developing novel tumor biomarkers. In this paper, we introduce metabolic pathways, instrument platforms, and a wide variety of sample types for lung cancer metabolomics. Specifically, we explore the strengths, limitations, and distinguishing features of various sample types employed in lung cancer metabolomics research. Additionally, we present the latest advances in lung cancer metabolomics research that utilize diverse sample types. We summarize and enumerate research studies that have investigated lung cancer metabolomics using different metabolomic sample types. Finally, we provide a perspective on the future of metabolomics research in lung cancer. Our discussion of the potential of metabolomics in developing new tumor biomarkers may inspire further study and innovation in this dynamic field