Lung cancer is one of the most recurrent forms of cancers being diagnosed in people today. It is on the rise because of smoking and the effects of secondhand smoking. Lung cancer that is caught in time can be treated, and a survivor can go on to lead a normal and healthy life.
Description
Lung cancer forms when there is an abnormality in the cells. Cells provide and produce new cells when needed. This happens within the body daily. Sometimes there is an interruption when these cells are being produced, and this results in abnormal cells. These abnormal cells build up into masses within the lungs. Not all cancers that are found in the lung are cancerous; some can be benign.
Lung cancer can form in any part of the lungs, but 95 percent of the time it is found in the lining of the smaller and larger airways. These airways are called bronchioles. If lung cancer forms within the bronchioles, it is known then as bronchogenic carcinomas or bronchogenic cancers.
Statistics
Studies done by the American Cancer Society estimate that 215,000 new cases will be diagnosed, with almost half of that resulting in death. In case studies, 70 percent of people who were diagnosed with lung cancer were elderly. A smaller percentage, 3 percent, were diagnosed in adults under the age of 45. Lung cancer has increased dramatically because of an increase in tobacco use.
Causes
There can be many reasons for developing lung cancer. The main reason is smoking. The risk increases with the number of cigarettes that are smoked over time. Smoking has been linked to lung cancer because in cigarettes there are more than 4,000 chemicals called carcinogens. Secondhand smoke has been linked to lung cancer, too. Exposure to chemicals may also cause lung cancer. Two main chemicals known to cause this disease are asbestos and raydon gas. Environmental factors such as air pollution play a small percentage in the number of lung cancer cases. Some, however, have developed this disease with no known cause.
Symptoms
Symptoms of lung cancer may vary, but most people do not experience signs or warnings of lung cancer. Many do not even realize they have it. It depends on how much the cancer has spread if other symptoms occur. Some of these other symptoms are more noticeable and, if they are happening, a pereson should be seen by a doctor. Shortness of breath, chest pain, wheezing and coughing up blood are some symptoms. Some less specific signs are fatigue, weight loss and weakness. If a doctor feels that you are experiencing signs of lung cancer, blood work and chest X-rays may be done. Chest X-rays take pictures of the lungs and may show spots that have formed. If something is found in the results, then a doctor may perform a biopsy of the lung.
Treatment
There are several treatments for treating lung cancer. One form of treatment is chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is a powerful drug given intravenously to kill the cancer cells. This treatment often causes weakness, vomiting, hair loss and lowers the immune system. Another form of treatment is radiation. Radiation uses very high energy X-rays on a specific area of the body to treat cancer. The side effects are about the same as chemotherapy. If the cancer is found to be minimal, then surgery can be used to remove the tumor. Often times, a number of these combinations are used to treat .
Recovery
Recovery from lung cancer depends on how big the tumor has gotten and whether the cancer has spread to any other part of the body. Some fight it and win, while others end up losing the fight. If it's caught in time, recovery is possible. Once treatment is over, many return back to their normal lives. Regular check-ups and follow-up appointments will be scheduled with your doctor on a regular basis. This is done to make sure the cancer doesn't come back or that it hasn't spread. Once a person receives the news the cancer is gone, they are then said to be in remission. Check-ups are then done yearly. Usually after the five-year mark of living cancer-free, the outcome of surviving cancer is higher.
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