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  • Lung Cancer
    Lung cancer or carcinoma of the lung is uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining the air passages. It is the leading cause of death due to cancer worldwide. Lung cancer is strongly related to cigarette smoking. 90% of lung cancer is caused by smoking though non-smokers can also have lung cancer.
Submitted by PatientsEngage on 6 June 2014
Graphic of a lung

Lung cancer or carcinoma of the lung is uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining the air passages. It is the leading cause of death due to cancer worldwide.

Lung cancer is strongly related to cigarette smoking. 90% of lung cancer is caused by smoking though non-smokers can also have lung cancer.

Incidence of lung cancer varies greatly between countries depending on their smoking habits. While lung cancer cases are decreasing in developed countries thanks to effective anti-smoking programmes, lung cancer is rising at alarming rates in developing countries like India because of the increasing prevalence of smoking as well as pollution. More women are also being affected as more of them take to smoking. Lung cancer is a disease of elderly people. It is rare below 40 years of age with 80% of cases are diagnosed after the age of 60. The average age of diagnosis of lung cancer is above 70.   

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Anatomy of the lungs

The lungs are a pair of air-filled spongy organs on either side of the chest (thoracic cavity). In order to survive, the body needs to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide.  The main function of the lungs is to exchange gases - between the air we breathe and our blood.

Air enters through the nose, goes down the windpipe (trachea) and into the lungs. Each lung is divided into lobes. The trachea divides into two main bronchi that enter the lungs. The bronchi further divides into bronchus, bronchioles, alveolar sacs and alveoli. Oxygen from the air we breathe is absorbed from the alveoli into the blood.

The lungs are covered with a double layer serous membrane called pleura and are separated from the abdominal organs by the diaphragm. Epithelial cells line the small and large airways. 

Lung cancer can develop in any part of the lung but most of the cancers develop from epithelial cells. 

 

 

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  • Management of Lung Cancer
    Follow-up care After finishing the treatment, check-ups are recommended to look for any side-effects of the treatment or any new symptoms or signs of recurrence or spread. The doctor may recommend any one or more of the following tests: -Chest X-ray -CT scans -Ultrasound -Blood test A CT scan is recommended every 6-12 months for first the 2 years and yearly after that. Food and nutrition Eating right is a key part of cancer treatment. You need to keep your body as strong as possible before,…
  • Lung Cancer Treatment
    Treatment of non-small cell lung cancer: Surgery Surgery is the treatment of choice in NSCLC that has not spread beyond the lung. The goal of surgery is to remove the lung tumour along with the lymph nodes in the chest. The surgeon will remove the tumour with surrounding normal lung tissue. During surgery, serious complications such as excess bleeding, wound infection and pneumonia can occur. Following surgery, patients may experience difficult breathing, shortness of breath, pain and weakness…
  • Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Tests
    What tests do you need to have done Medical history and physical examination: The doctor will take your history and based on symptoms and signs suggestive of lung cancer, may recommend some of the following tests: Blood test: This is primarily to understand the overall health status of the person. Imaging tests: Chest X-ray:  This can detect an abnormal large mass or small nodules in the lung. CT scan: This can detect small lesions and provide a more detailed view of the lungs, which is…
  • Prevention of Lung Cancer
    Can lung cancer be prevented?  You can lower your risk by doing the following: Stop smoking Avoid second-hand smoke Avoid carcinogens at work Work with other people to keep your environment pollution-free Eat low-fat, high-fibre diet and do regular exercise Screening Screening: Screening is recommended for high risk individuals which includes: Those between the ages of 55-79 Smoked for 30 or more years Person who has quit smoking within the past 15 years Screening test includes:  …
  • Lung Cancer Stages and Types
    Cancer that starts in the lungs is called primary lung cancer. The lungs are common sites for metastasis of other types of cancers, which start elsewhere in the body, such as breast cancer or colon cancer. That is called secondary lung cancer. It is important to know whether the cancer started in the lungs (primary) or has spread to the lungs (secondary). Cancer cells will be different in primary and secondary lung cancer, so the treatment will depend on the type of cancer. For eg. cancer that…
  • Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer
    There are usually no symptoms in the early stage of lung cancer. In most cases, diagnosis is made after the disease has advanced. Common symptoms include: Having a cough most of the time Cough that does not go away after 2-3 weeks or becomes worse Pain in chest, shoulder, back or arms, which is not associated with coughing Shortness of breath Coughing of blood or blood in sputum An ache when breathing or coughing Recurrent chest infection such as pneumonia Hoarseness of voice Loss of appetite…
  • Causes of Lung Cancer and Risk factors
    You are at risk of developing lung cancer if, you are:  A smoker: Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer. Smokers are at 15-20 times greater risk of developing lung cancer than non-smokers. The risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked each day and the number of years you have smoked. Doctors calculate risk in pack years (number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by number of years smoked). Risk increases with even 10 pack years of smoking history. Even if…
  • Before I go - Time warps for a young surgeon with metastatic lung cancer
    By Paul Kalanithi, M.D., a neurosurgeon and writer. Though never a smoker, he was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in 2013. Paul died in March, 2015. He is survived by his wife Lucy and their daughter Cady. A few paragraphs that stood out for me: Six years passed in a flash, but then, heading into chief residency, I developed a classic constellation of symptoms — weight loss, fevers, night sweats, unremitting back pain, cough — indicating a diagnosis quickly confirmed: metastatic lung cancer…
  • Graphic of a lung
    Lung Cancer - An Overview
    Lung cancer or carcinoma of the lung is uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining the air passages. It is the leading cause of death due to cancer worldwide. Lung cancer is strongly related to cigarette smoking. 90% of lung cancer is caused by smoking though non-smokers can also have lung cancer. Incidence of lung cancer varies greatly between countries depending on their smoking habits. While lung cancer cases are decreasing in developed countries thanks to…