Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and is the leading cause of cancer death like high blood pressure in the United States, accounting for an estimated 158,080 deaths in 2018.
Lung cancer (also called pulmonary cancer, or lung carcinoma) is a type of cancer that starts in the lungs. It develops slowly and is usually found at an early stage, when it can be treated successfully.
However, if left untreated, like high blood pressure it can effects to other parts of the body, including the brain, bones, and liver.
What Is Lung Cancer Disease: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment
Symptoms of Lung Cancer
How to diagnosis lung cancer? Symptoms of lung cancer may include coughing up blood or other blood-tinged mucus, chest pain, chest tightness, unexplained weight loss, and fever.
Coughing up blood is usually the first symptom that people have. If you cough up blood, go to the emergency room immediately.
If you experience any of these symptoms, or if you think you might have lung cancer, you should seek medical attention or medication right away.
Causes of Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is a complex disease that can affect people of all ages, and it’s caused by many factors.
‘Lung cancer’ is the second most common type of cancer in the world and is responsible for 1.3 million deaths every year.
While there are some risk factors that can cause lung cancer such as smoking, exposure to certain chemicals and radiation, the disease can also be caused by other factors.
The causes of lung cancer include exposure to environmental toxins, smoking and genetic factors, as well as lifestyle choices like being overweight or inactive.
Treatment
How to treat Lung cancer? There are several treatment options for lung cancer, but only a few can be considered for curable disease.
Surgery is the most effective treatment in the early stages of lung cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be used alone or in combination with surgery to prolong survival.
For more serious cases, chemotherapy and radiation may be used in combination with newer treatments including immunotherapy.
Surgery
This is a common treatment for “lung cancer”. During surgery, doctors remove the entire tumor or part of it.
If the cancer has spread, they may also remove the lymph nodes and other surrounding organs.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays or radioactive materials to kill cancer cells.
Radiation therapy is usually used to treat people who have small cell cancer or who have already had surgery. Radiation can also be used to treat people who do not have surgery.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. There are many kinds of chemotherapy drugs.
Some chemotherapy drugs act directly on the cancer, while others work by weakening the immune system or making it easier for the body to kill cancer cells.
Targeted therapy
Targeted therapy uses medicines that target a specific molecular abnormality in the tumor.
For example, a drug might target a protein in the tumor that helps cancer cells to grow.
FAQ
Q1: What is lung cancer?
The lungs are a pair of tubes, one on each side of your chest. They serve as a filter, helping to remove dust particles, germs, and other harmful substances from the air that you breathe. It’s not surprising, then, that they can get clogged with disease.
There are different types of lung cancer. Small cell cancer makes up only about 10% of cases, while squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma make up about 30%. Lung cancer begins when cells grow out of control and become abnormal.
Q: How can I prevent lung cancer?
The best way to prevent lung cancer is to stay away from secondhand smoke. Also, it’s important to get regular checkups, because early detection is key to successful treatment.
Q: How long does lung cancer usually last?
Lung cancer can be slow-growing or fast growing. In general, it can be either 3 to 5 years, or 6 to 10 years.