WHAT IS LUNG CANCER
Cancer causes changes in cells that are otherwise healthy. The cells grow too quickly, without dying off.
Normal cells in the body usually die at a certain stage in their cycle, thereby preventing a build-up of too many cells.
In cancer, however, the cells continue to grow and multiply. As a result, tumors develop.
TYPES OF LUNG CANCER
The two general types of lung cancer include:
Small cell lung cancer: Small cell lung cancer occurs almost exclusively in
heavy smokers and is less common than non-small cell lung cancer.
Non-small cell lung cancer: Non-small cell lung cancer is an umbrella term
for several types of lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancers include squamous
cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma.
RISK FACTOR
A number of factors may increase your risk of lung cancer.
These include:
1. Smoking
2. Exposure to secondhand smoke
3. Previous radiation therapy
SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS
People with lung cancer may not have any symptoms until a later stage. If symptoms do appear, they can resemble those of a respiratory infection.
Some possible symptoms include:
• changes to a person’s voice, such as hoarseness
• frequent chest infections, such as bronchitis or pneumonia
• swelling in the lymph nodes in the middle of the chest
• a lingering cough that may start to get worse
• chest pain
• shortness of breath and wheezing
In time, a person more severe symptoms, such as:
• severe chest pain
• bone pain and bone fractures
• headaches
• coughing up blood
• blood clots
• appetite loss and weight loss
• fatigue
STAGES
The staging of cancer describes how far it has spread through the body and how severe it is.
The most basic form of staging is as follows:
• localized, wherein the cancer is within a limited area
• regional, wherein the cancer has spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes
• distant, wherein the cancer has spread to other parts of the body
Stages of non-small cell lung cancer
Healthcare professionals typically use tumor size and spread to describe the stages of non-small cell lung cancer, as follows:
• Occult, or hidden: The cancer does not show up on imaging scans, but cancerous cells might appear in the phlegm or mucus.
• Stage 0: There are abnormal cells only in the top layers of cells lining the airways.
• Stage 1: A tumor is present in the lung, but it is 4 centimeters (cm) or under and has not spread to other parts of the body.
• Stage 2: The tumor is 7 cm or under and might have spread to nearby tissues and lymph nodes.
• Stage 3: The cancer has spread to lymph nodes and reached other parts of the lung and surrounding area.
• Stage 4: The cancer has spread to distant body parts, such as the bones or brain.
Stages of small cell lung cancer
Small cell lung cancer has its own categories. The stages are known as limited and extensive, and they refer to whether the cancer has spread within or outside the lungs.
In the limited stage, the cancer affects only one side of the chest, though it might already be present in some surrounding lymph nodes.
In the extensive stage, the cancer has spread beyond the one side of the chest. It may affect the other lung or other parts of the body.
PREVENTION
1. Don’t smoke
2. Exercise most days of the week
3. Eat a diet of fruits and vegetable
DIAGNOSIS
If a person has any symptoms that could indicate lung cancer or if screening shows something unusual, a healthcare professional will likely recommend some diagnostic tests.
Imaging tests
An X-ray, CT, MRI, or PET scan might reveal areas of lung tissue with cancer.
If the cancer has spread, imaging tests can also reveal changes to bones and other organs. Scans can also help track the progress of treatment.
Tissue sampling
A healthcare professional may wish to take a biopsy to check for cancer cells. They will do this using a fine needle or a bronchoscope.
A bronchoscope is a thin, lighted scope with a camera on the end that enters the lungs through the mouth or nose. A healthcare professional can use it to look for lesions and take samples.
For less accessible lesions, they may use a more invasive surgical procedure, such as thoracoscopy or video-assisted thoracic surgery, to remove lung tissue.
Other samples
Laboratory tests can also reveal whether or not cancer is present in the:
• Pleural effusion, which is the fluid that collects around the lungs
• Sputum
• Blood
This information can help confirm if cancer is present and, if it is, determine its type and stage.
TREATMENT FOR LUNG CANCER
Surgery: An operation where doctors cut out cancer tissue.
Chemotherapy: Using special medicines to shrink or kill the cancer.
Radiation therapy: Using high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer.
Targeted therapy: Using drugs to block the growth and spread of cancer cells. You will get tests to see if targeted therapy is right for your cancer type before this treatment is used.
.
.
.
.
.
.
https://web.facebook.com/Godsapplecity
read other blogs https://godsapplecityhospital.com/breast-cancer-signs-and-detection/