Lung Cancer Essay

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Cancer is the name given to a collection of related diseases. In all forms of cancer: the cells in the body begin to divide uncontrollably and then spread into the surrounding tissues.
There are many forms of cancer, in which the most common forms include lung cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. This presentation will focus solely on lung cancer research, but details may be similar to that of other cancers. Over the last few years, the number of patients being diagnosed with cancer has increased with threatening results for many. In 2012, there were more than 100,000 deaths from cancer in the UK alone. Cancers of the lung, bowel, breast and prostate account for almost 46% of all cancer deaths in the UK (2012). I have had first-hand experience …show more content…

Lung cancer happens to be one of the most common cancer forms, it affects mostly the elderly and in 2012 around 35,400 people died from lung cancer in the UK.
Research is under progress and the trials being carried out for non-small cell lung cancer include; personalised therapy, immunotherapy, better techniques for radiation therapy, improved screening and palliative care.
To tackle lung cancer, personalised therapy involves researchers looking at specific features of lung tumors that can predict whether a specific chemotherapy or targeted therapy may be effective. Immunotherapy involves using drugs to stimulate a person 's own immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively, this can control non-small cell lung cancer growth. Immunology has proved to effective as in 2015, two new immunotherapy drugs, nivolumab and pembrolizumab were approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for the treatment of lung cancer. These two approvals were landmark events for the treatment of lung cancer in …show more content…

Radiation therapy uses high energy rays to kill cancer cells, this has different side effects such as loss of hair in the treated area, sore skin, tiredness/weakness and more. Advances in all types of treatment will improve doctors’ ability to combine chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery for the treatment of all stages of lung cancer.
All forms of cancer are more successfully treated in their early stages, which has raised interest in screening people for lung cancer before it causes symptoms. Advances in imaging techniques, such as low-dose, helical CT scanning, are currently being researched, and may help find better ways to diagnose lung cancer early. Genetic testing to learn which people have a higher risk of lung cancer is also being

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