What You Should Know About
Lung Cancer
Cancer develops when cells grow abnormally and uncontrollably, usually as a result of exposure to cancer-causing substances known as carcinogens. The abnormal cells grow faster than normal cells and cannot be inhibited by normal mechanisms. Eventually these cells may form tissue masses that crowd or even destroy normal tissue. Cancer cells that grow in or near blood or lymph vessels may be carried to other areas of the body (a process called metastasis), where new cancers may develop.
Cancer that begins in the lungs is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among American adults. In fact, experts estimate that almost 165,000 Americans were diagnosed with lung cancer in 2000. Tragically, nearly 80% of those cases probably could have been prevented. |
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What causes lung cancer?
Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. Experts estimate that more than 80% of lung cancers result from smoking. That's because cigarette smoke contains a number of cancer causing agents, or carcinogens. Although lung cancer may take years to develop, changes in lung tissues begin almost immediately after exposure to smoke or other carcinogens. With continued exposure, cells become abnormal, then precancerous, and possibly cancerous.
Both the intensity and duration of smoking are related to the risk of developing lung cancer. Men who smoke are about 22 times more likely and women are about 12 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers.
Exposure to someone else's smoke (called passive or secondhand smoking) raises the risk of lung cancer as well. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that passive smoking causes about 3,000 cancer deaths each year in America.
Diagnosing lung cancer
By the time lung cancer causes symptoms, it's usually advanced. That's one reason why treatments for lung cancer usually have limited success. The symptoms of lung cancer may vary with the location of the tumor and may include a chronic cough, hoarseness, bloody or rusty-colored phlegm, weight loss, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, an unexplained fever, wheezing, recurring lung infections (such as bronchitis and pneumonia), and chest pain. Unfortunately, many lung cancers produce no symptoms during their early stages.
Because these symptoms may result from a wide variety of ailments, they warrant closer investigation by a doctor. It will include an extensive medical history and a thorough physical examination. If sputum is available the doctor may take a sample to examine it for cancer cells.
In addition to a standard chest X-ray, a specialized X-ray such as a computed tomography (CT) scan, may be ordered to provide a more detailed examination of the lungs. Depending on the location of the mass, or nodule a procedure called a bronchoscopy, may be ordered. In this procedure a doctor inserts a narrow, flexible tube into the airways to examine and possibly biopsy suspicious cells. If necessary, one may have a biopsy of tissues around or between the lungs as well. Because there are several different forms of lung cancer, each with its own characteristics, it is usually necessary to know the precise type of cancer before proceeding with treatment decisions.
Treatment and tips
Treatment for lung cancer commonly involves some combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. If the cancer is limited to a small area, surgery may be able to cure it. If not, surgery may be used to remove as much of the cancer as possible before radiation or chemotherapy.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to help reduce the size of the cancer and relieve pain or blockage of the airways. It's commonly used with chemotherapy and sometimes with surgery. Chemotherapy refers to the use of drugs that fight cancer cells. It may be used in for certain types of lung cancer (small-cell carcinoma, for instance), in more advanced stages of lung cancer, and in conjunction with surgery. One form of therapy may be more effective than another, depending on the specific type of cancer involved.
Where to Get Additional Information
For more information, try these online resources.
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