Lung Cancer
What is Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer is abnormal cell growth that originates in the tissues that line the organ’s air passages. As abnormal lung cells grow and multiply, they form into a tumor and disrupt the function of the lungs, to provide oxygen to the body via blood circulation. It is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer, and it is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women.
What different types of lung cancers exist?
- Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) are classified together due to thier similar treatment and prognosis. However, specific types of NSCLCs affect different types of lung cells. They account for 85 to 95 percent of all lung cancer diagnosis.
• Squamous cell carcinoma (epidermoid carcinoma) starts in the cells lining the airways of the lungs and is also found in the bronchus, towards the middle of the lungs. Its development is often linked to a history of smoking. Squamous cell carcinomas account for 25% to 30% of all lung cancers.
• Adenocarcinoma begins in the mucus producing glands of the lungs. This is the most common lung cancer in women and also among people who do not smoke. Adenocarcinoma accounts for 40 percent of all lung cancer diagnosis.
• In situ pulmonary adenocarcinoma (AIS, previsously known as Bronchioalveolar carcinoma) develops in cells near in the alveoli (small air sacks) in the outer regions of the lungs. Unlike other forms of lung cancer, AIS spreading is primarily limited to the lungs, and forms near the lungs’ air sacs. It accounts for 2-14% of all lung cancer diagnosis.
• Long-cell differentiated carcinoma may appear anywhere within the lungs and spread rapidly. This type of lung cancer accounts for about ...
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...ow can I prevent getting lung cancer?
- Quit or don’t start smoking tobacco products.
- Avoid being around second-hand smoking, asbestos and radon.
- If you are already at risk of lung cancer, talk to your doctor about screening techniques to promote early dectection.
Famous people with lung cancer:
Peter Jennings – ABC anchor of “World News Tonight”
Walt Disney – Founder of Walt Disney
George Harrison – The member of The Beatles
Claude Monet – Impressionist Artist
Rosemary Clooney – Singer
Lung Cancer survivor:
Created by: Mikayla D. Williams, Undergraduate student
I like to dedicate this guide to Dustin Begay of LeChee, Arizona.
Peer Reviewed by:
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Websites: http://www.lungcancer.org/ http://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/guide/default.htm
http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, better known as COPD, is a disease that affects a person’s ability to breathe normal. COPD is a combination of two major lung diseases: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Bronchitis affects the bronchioles and emphysema affects the alveoli.
However, other forms of treatment may also depend much on the type of lung cancer that is being treated and it's staging. Be it the more rapid growing Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) that makes up for between 10% - 15% of all diagnosed cases, or the more common and slower growing Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).
In addition to being responsible for 87% of lung cancers, smoking is also associated with cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, uterine cervix, kidney, and bladder. Smoking accounts for at least 29% of all cancer deaths, is a major cause of heart disease, and is associated with conditions ranging from colds and gastric ulcers to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cerebrovascular disease. Women have a better chance in getting lung cancer then men do. This year the disease will kill 68,000 women in the United States, more than one and a half times as many as breast cancer. Even if a woman smoked for awhile and quit, her chances are much greater then a man that smoked 2 times longer then the woman did.
One of the common diseases in the respiratory system that many people around the world face is emphysema or also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is a chronic lung condition where the alveoli or air sacs may be damaged or enlarged resulting in short of breath (Mayo Clinic, 2011). If emphysema is left untreated, it will worsen causing the sphere shaped air sacs to come together making holes and reduce the surface area of the lungs and the amount of oxygen that travels through the bloodstream, blocking the airways of the lungs (Karriem- Norwood, 2012). The most common ways a patient can get emphysema are by cigarette smoking or being exposed to chemicals, dust or air pollutants for a long period of time. Common physical exams reveal a temperature of 100.8 Fahrenheit, 104 beats per minute, a blood pressure of 146/92, and a respiratory rate of 36 breaths per min (Karriem- Norwood, 2012). (see appendix A.1,A.2, A.3, A.4 for complete proof.)
According to “Medical News Today” cancer is a disease that is caused by an over growth of anomalous cells on one or more lungs. Cells often go up the air pipes which can cause difficulty to breath. Due to the over production of cells the tissue cells often begin to over produce; which results in tumors. There are two types of tumors: malignant and benign. Malignant tumors are the more dangerous of the two due to its invasive nature; which makes it cancerous. While benign is not invasive in other words non-cancerous. This is why cancer spreads to multiple areas and can be sometimes very difficult to fight. Cancer cells are abnormal not only because of their evasive nature, but also because of its irregular life cycle. Rather than expire like a regular cell, they continuously grow and duplicate which causes the disease to spread. This makes cell abnormal in shape and other qualities; known as a sickle cell. Due to the large growth and reproduction rate of the cells this makes the spreading of the cancer more rapid. Each cancer has specific symptom, for lung cancer the sympto...
Diagnosed with lung cancer, now what!? Time to do some research. Lung cancer is the number one cause of deaths in males and females. The causes, diagnosis, and treatment of lung cancer have advanced recently with new technology available to scientists and the medical profession. Lung cancer develops when the cells grow abnormally and tumors form instead of healthy lung tissue. It can take place in one or both lungs, normally the cells that line the air passages. Not all tumors are cancerous, the ones that do not spread are benign tumors. The more tumors that develop in the lungs will cause the lungs to work less efficiently. The metastatic tumors spread to other parts of the body passing through the blood stream or lymphatic system.
Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancers in the world. There are three main types of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, and lung carcinoid tumor. Just like any other cancer, lung cancer is dangerous, and a life threatening problem. Many studies and researches have been presented to find a cure, but an exact cure has yet to be found. There are however multiple causes, ways to diagnose, and treatments for lung cancer.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer within the United States with tobacco smoking being the biggest risk factor. In 2012, more than 220,000 people were diagnosed with lung cancer and approximately 150,000 died from the disease. “Lung cancer rates in the United States climbed dramatically throughout much of the 20th century, as smoking became more popular, and peaked in the 1980’s before declining in the 1990’s” (Furlow, 2014, p. 298). Screening of high risk people for lung cancer has been extending patients’ lives with early detection with the use of computed tomography (CT).
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).
Over a hundred years ago lung cancer was considered a very rare disease. Lung cancer is a disease that is known worldwide. Lung cancer is one of the four most common cancer. Lung cancer is detrimental to the Respiratory System and can cause permanent damage. Lung cancer is a tumor that grows in your lungs and it can also spread to other parts of your body. Early stages of lung cancer are hard to detect because it could take about a year for the tumor to grow to the point when you start experiencing symptoms. The most common cause of lung cancer is smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products. There are other causes like secondhand smoke, asbestos, and lung cancer is common in your family.Lung cancer has different risk factors, symptoms,
The leading cause of death in America is lung cancer. Lung cancer is ranked top 10 fatal cancers in the United States. There are many types of ways to get lung cancer. There is radon gas it occurs outdoors naturally. Then there is second hand smoke that comes from other people smoking. People are even getting lung cancer from cancer causing agents, this happens from carcinogens. You can also get it from air pollution indoors and outdoors. Also there are gene-mutations that form cancer causing cells. Then there is the one everyone blamed lung cancer is smoking.
Cancer patients often wonder if going through treatments like chemotherapy and radiation are worth the risk of the side effects, in addition to the cancerous side effects. They feel that they can’t enjoy or relax in what a short amount of time they have left because they are bedridden from the nausea and pain that treatments put them through. Patients tell their loved ones to just let them die so long as they don’t have to go through any more pain. Those who are too old, are unable to recover from the effects, or are just too far in the grips of cancer, should refuse the more harsh treatments like chemo and radiation. On the positive side, refusing treatments after a certain point can save their families from the stress and cost of hospital bills. If caught early enough, patients can opt for safer and easier routes to getting rid of cancer like surgery or by doing a stem cell transplant.
Chronic bronchitis is a disorder that causes inflammation to the airway, mainly the bronchial tubules. It produces a chronic cough that lasts three consecutive months for more than two successive years (Vijayan,2013). Chronic Bronchitis is a member of the COPD family and is prominently seen in cigarette smokers. Other factors such as air pollutants, Asbestos, and working in coal mines contributes to inflammation. Once the irritant comes in contact with the mucosa of the bronchi it alters the composition causing hyperplasia of the glands and producing excessive sputum (Viayan,2013). Goblet cells also enlarge to contribute to the excessive secretion of sputum. This effects the cilia that carry out the mechanism of trapping foreign bodies to allow it to be expelled in the sputum, which are now damaged by the irritant making it impossible for the person to clear their airway. Since the mechanism of airway clearance is ineffective, the secretion builds up a thickened wall of the bronchioles causing constriction and increasing the work of breathing. The excessive build up of mucous could set up pneumonia. The alveoli are also damaged enabling the macrophages to eliminate bacteria putting the patient at risk for acquiring an infection.
Cancer is defined as where the abnormal cells are divided without any control and they are able to invade into tissues. At times cancer can be cured right away once it is detected through treatments that the doctor recommends, but at times cancer cannot be cured based on what stage the cancer is at. It is very important that every individual gets a physical check up to see if they are diagnosed or detected with any sort of cancer or disease. There are 100 types of cancers out there, but the type of cancer that I will be focusing on is Lung cancer. One of the controversial issues on a lung cancer is the ...
...tection against getting lung cancer is to never start smoking. Don’t be a statistic like my grandfather, stay away from cigarettes – it’s a matter of life and death.