What is Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer develops when cells in the lung become abnormal and grow out of control. Two groups of cancers start in the lungs.
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Non-small cell lung cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer. It affects 85 percent of all lung cancer patients. NSCLC can develop in individuals who smoked or who never smoked. It is treated with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a combination of these treatments.
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Small cell lung cancer
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is less common. It affects 15% of all lung cancer patients. It is the most aggressive type of lung cancer and may be treated with chemotherapy and radiation.
What are the symptoms of lung cancer?
Lung cancer symptoms may be similar to those of a chest cold or a mild flu, but not everyone has symptoms.
Common symptoms are:
- A cough that doesn’t go away or gets worse
- Shortness of breath
- Frequent lung infections
- Coughing up blood
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
What are the risk factors?
- Smoking
- Exposure to radon (an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas that occurs naturally in soil and rocks)
- Exposure to secondhand or passive smoke
- Exposure to certain industrial and organic substances such as arsenic, asbestos, uranium, and diesel fuel
- Air pollution
- Family history of lung cancer
- Previous lung disease
If you are a heavy smoker talk to your doctor and ask for the lung cancer screening?
85 percent of lung cancer is related to smoking. Early Lung Cancer screening will save your life.
Lung Cancer screening should be offered to the following criteria:
- Between the ages of 50-77
- Current smoker or quit smoking within the past 15 years
- Tobacco smoking history of 30+ pack years
How is lung cancer diagnosed?
Many lung cancers are found by routine chest x-ray or CT scan taken for another health concern. For a diagnosis we look at:
Lung Cancer screening should be offered to the following criteria:
- Complete history and physical exam
- Chest x-ray
- Chest CT scan
- Other imaging studies (PET scan or MRI)
- Lung function tests
- A biopsy (sample) of the nodule or mass
How is lung cancer treated?
Lung cancer treatment often includes surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a combination of the three.
Surgery
Your doctor may recommend removing part of or all of the involved lung.
Surgery
Radiation kills cancer cells. A shaped radiation beam is aimed at the cancer. Daily radiation treat¬ments last four to six weeks.
Surgery
Powerful drugs can also be used to kill the cancer cells. Chemotherapy is often given through a vein using an IV (intravenous) catheter
If you would like more information about the lung cancer screening and when should you be screened talk to the lung expert’s physician.
