Lung Cancer

Cancer of the lung was nearly nonexistent in the early 1900’s. By the middle of the 20th century an epidemic became apparent throughout the United States and the rest of the world. It is primarily correlated with the widespread abundance of cigarette smoking in the world. The tobacco industry has multiplied its production immediately prior to World War I. There was a typical 20 to 30 year lagging period between the initiation of cigarette smoking and the actual tumor formation in the lungs. Lung cancer is the cancer that originates in the tissues of the lungs. It occurs when cells in the lung start to grow rapidly in an uncontrolled manner. Lung cancer can start anywhere in the lungs and affect any part of the respiratory system. Most of all lung cancer cases start in the lining of the bronchi (health-cares.net, 2005). It is the leading cause of all cancer deaths in the world. During this time the tobacco companies would continue to say that cigarette smoking was not addictive and did not cause any type of cancer. Even with all evidence in the world today about tobacco causing cancer, Tobacco companies still remain the most profitable business in the world. Lung cancer is very common in both women and men. Women account for about 40 percent of the lung cancer cases in the world. Women who smoke are more than twice as likely to develop lung cancer as those of men who smoke (Tavor, 2005).

Many people try to quit smoking but it still is very possible to develop lung cancer years after you quit. The risk of second hand smoke is real and women are at a higher risk to develop cancer this way. In addition, there is evidence that lung cancer in people who never smoke have a better prognosis than in those who do smoke, and that patients ...

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...agnosed at a later stage, most people die within two years of diagnosis and treatment.

Non-small-cell lung cancer is more common than small-cell lung cancer. It makes up about 80 percent of all diagnosed lung cancers. It is actually four different kinds of lung cancers that grow and respond to treatment in about the same way. These four types of non-small-cell lung cancer are termed squamous cell, adencarcinoma, large cell, and mixed cell. Two other related cancers that are also included in the non-small-cell lung cancers group are carcinoid and mesothelioma. Non-small-cell lung cancer grows more slowly than small-cell lung cancer. Non-small-cell lung cancer tends to grow first in the area where it started then invades the surrounding lung tissue and ribs. It eventually spreads to other areas of the body, mainly bones, brain, and liver.