If you, or someone in your area, lung cancer, then a lot at you. Lung cancer is a serious disease, and the diagnosis often comes as a bolt from the blue. Usually there is little time to talk and make decisions, and should be quickly intervened.
How cancer arises
The main cause of lung cancer is cigarette smoking. The smoking of cigars and pipe increases the risk of getting lung cancer, just as the practice of certain professions. Due to the prolonged action of stimuli caused by harmful substances, creates changes in the genetic material of the cells in the lungs. Therefore, these cells eventually derail. The unrestricted cell growth at the expense of tissue in the surrounding area. Often it happens that these cells through the lymph nodes and the bloodstream to other parts of the body and there become metastases of lung cancer.
Types of lung cancer
Lung cancer is divided into small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. There is also the mesothelioma, which is cancer of the lung or pleura is.
The non-small cell type of lung cancer - the word says it all - is characterized by relatively large cells. The growth rate of these forms is different. Non-small cell lung cancer spreads out relatively slowly by the body. This tumor is usually long been grown in the body before it is detected. Between the origin of the tumor and the time it is discovered, are sometimes many years. During that period, the tumor has already spread throughout the body have.
Approximately 20% of cases of lung cancer are small cell. This form of cancer is characterized by tiny, fragile cells that divide very rapidly. This allows them rapidly through the body. Often it is, therefore, small cell lung cancer has already metastasized at the time of symptoms. The treatment of small cell lung cancer other than non-small cell lung cancer. In most cases there will not be surgically intervened, but is treated by chemotherapy and radiotherapy (radiation).
Mesothelioma, also called pleural cancer or cancer of the pleura, is a specific cancer, caused by the inhalation of asbestos. Asbestos fibers are inhaled and lodge in the lung membranes. Since they stimulate the lining cells and cause such a change, in that these cells are malignant tumor cells to change.
Symptoms of lung cancer
In lung cancer, you often see long time no symptoms. The symptoms of lung cancer as you will find below, are also quite common, and can be a lot of other causes. If you have any of these symptoms, you can do better just checked. Please make an appointment with your GP. Whatever it is, your doctor can help.
- A persistent irritating cough that persists longer than three weeks
- Sometimes a little blood in the mucus coughed
- Inflammation of the airways but no go, even with antibiotics
- More mucus
- Dyspnea
- Hoarseness without sore throat
- Chest pain
- Swelling of the face or neck
This is often accompanied by a worse condition. This allows you to notice:
- Fatigue
- Weight loss for no apparent reason
- poor appetite
Prevention of lung cancer
Smoking in 90% of cases the cause of lung cancer. The more and the longer someone has smoked, the greater the risk of lung cancer. Quit smoking so! Every cigarette you smoke increases your risk of lung cancer, so every cigarette you smoke less, lowers your risk of lung cancer.
People often stay in smoky rooms, have a slightly higher chance of getting lung cancer. Other people at risk are people who come into contact with substances such as asbestos, coal tar or arsenic.
Related to Lung Cancer:
- Lungcancer.org is a program of CancerCare, which provides free, professional support services--including counseling, support groups, educational publications and ...(www.lungcancer.org)
- Lung cancer — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, causes, treatment of non-small and small cell types.(www.mayoclinic.com)
- Lung cancer is the second-most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women. However it is still the most common cause of cancer death.(www.lung.org)
