Are You At Risk Of Developing Lung Cancer?

Are You At Risk Of Developing Lung Cancer?
By Michael Russell

It is estimated that a non-smoker's lifetime risk of lung cancer is 1 in 100 while a smoker's risk is 1 in 12. Among which group of people do you belong? Are you worried that your risk of developing lung cancer is high?

Lung cancer like any other forms of cancer is a much-dreaded disease. Because it doesn't have visible symptoms during the early stage, it is often diagnosed during the later stage of the disease when the cancer has already spread to other organs and when treatment becomes difficult and survival rate is low.

People who are likely to develop lung cancer are those who have one or more of the following risk factors.

1. Women are more prone to develop lung cancer than men are. One study shows that a gene associate with abnormal cell growth was found to be more active in women than in men whether these women smoked or not. Some research also shows that smoking women are more susceptible to the cancer-causing chemicals found in cigarettes than their male counterparts.

2. Smoking is one of the greatest risk factor of lung cancer. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. A person's risk of developing lung cancer increases with the number of years he or she has smoked. The longer the person has been smoking, the higher is his or her risk of developing lung cancer.

3. Sad news for people who have not even puffed a single cigarette but are continually exposed to cigarette smoke; your risk of developing lung cancer rises as much as 30 percent especially if you are exposed daily to second-hand smoking.

4. Exposure to radon, an odorless gas found in water and the ground, increases a person's risk of developing lung cancer. Radon is considered to be the second most common cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking.

5. Our workplace can sometimes increase our risk of developing lung cancer. People who are exposed to carcinogens like arsenic, asbestos, chloromethyl ether and chromium compounds in their workplaces have higher risk of developing lung cancer. It is estimated that about 9,000 men and 900 women develop lung cancer annually due to workplace exposure of known carcinogenic compounds. The risk becomes even greater for people who smoke.

6. Women who undergo estrogen replacement may be at higher risk of developing lung cancer. According to researchers from the University of Pittsburg, the growth of non-small-cell lung cancer may be fueled by estrogen.

It is important that lung cancer be detected early. The symptomless early stages often mislead lung cancer patients into believing that there is nothing wrong with his or her health. Often it is already late and cancer has already spread to other areas before diagnosis is being made. Those who are well informed about the possibility and the level of their risk of developing lung cancer will be able to seek for medical check-up and professional opinion early before the disease can even spread.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Lung Cancer

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An Overview of Lung Cancer

An Overview of Lung Cancer
By Ajishnu Sharma

General Information on Lung Cancer

Lung cancer, or carcinoma of the lung, is one of the most common forms of cancer today. It is one of the most frequent causes of cancer-related mortality in the United States today. In the United States, another form of cancer that is becoming increasingly common is breast cancer, which is the development of malignant tissue in the breast. Breast cancer is seen mostly in women, though this does not mean that men are immune to it. A small percentage of men too contract breast cancer. The numbers are small, 1 man with breast cancer against a 100 women with it, but its there. However, there is one major difference between breast cancer and lung cancer. One can see the symptoms of breast cancer at an early stage, while in the case of lung cancer, the symptoms are not detected early, primarily because they match the symptoms of other lesser ailments. In this article, we will discuss lung cancer.

A person is said to suffer from lung cancer when a growth of malignant cancer cells is detected in the lungs. Depending on the stage at which lung cancer is detected, it can be classified as being in the:

Early stages
Mid-stages
Advanced stages

Today, there is a vast amount of information on lung cancer available. Patients or relatives of patients can access information over the Internet, which has an almost limitless number of websites dedicated to different aspects of lung cancer types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, etc. For example, if you are from the United Kingdom and want to research information on lung cancer treatment, facilities, etc in your country, you can simply log onto the website of Cancer Research UK, UKs leading cancer charity, and collect whatever information you want from their site.

Earlier on, treatment of lung cancer was not an easy thing to do, owing to the huge amount of expenses in the form of medical bills, hospital stays fees, etc. However, nowadays with the availability of insurance, things have become easier. Lung cancer insurance is available easily, as is insurance covering other forms of cancer.

Types of Lung Cancer

Two main types of lung cancer exist today. Both of these are seen in the epithelial cells of the lungs. They are:

Small cell lung cancer (SLCC)
Non-small cell lung cancer

There is another type, called mixed small cell/large cell lung cancer. In this type you can find both kinds of cells in the cancerous tissue.

Besides these two types, there is another form of cancer of the lung area, called mesothelioma or mesothelioma cancer or cancer of the mesothelium. However, this is not considered a primary form of lung cancer, as its target area is not the lobes of the lung, but the pleural membrane covering the lung.

Small Cell Lung Cancer
This is the rarer of the two basic forms of lung cancer. One out of every five lung cancer patients suffer from small cell lung cancer.

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer, or non-small lung cancer, is the more common of the two basic forms of lung cancer. Four out of five lung cancer patients suffer from this type of cancer.

Based on the cell type/area in which the carcinogenic cells proliferate in the lungs, non-small cell lung cancer is further categorized into three types. They are:

Squamous cell carcinoma
Adenocarcinoma
Large Cell Carcinoma
Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma (BAC)

Squamous Cell Carcinoma
This is the most common type of lung cancer. It occurs in the cells lining the airways inside the lungs. This form of cancer occurs mostly due to nicotine ingestion through smoking.

Adenocarcinoma
This form of cancer is seen in the mucus cells within the airways in the lung.

Large Cell Carcinoma
This is also called undifferentiated lung cancer. In large cell carcinoma, the proliferating cells are round and much larger than the cells seen in adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.

Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma (BAC)
This form of cancer is seen in the bronchioalveolar region of the lung.

What Causes Lung Cancer?

The main cause of lung cancer is exposure to tobacco. This is primarily through smoking. About 80% of lung cancer patients are smokers. Smokers may be cigarette smokers, cigar smokers, or pipe smokers; it doesnt matter. The risk of contracting lung cancer is equal in all the three cases.

A person may inhale smoke directly. A person can also inhale smoke passively or involuntarily. This smoke is also called secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is of two types:

Mainstream This is the smoke exhaled by the smoker, and amounts to more than 50% of all secondhand smoke.
Sidestream This is the smoke emanating from the burning end of a cigarette/cigar/pipe/hookah.

Passive smokers too stand a high chance of contracting lung cancer. The chances of passive/secondary smokers contracting lung cancer is 30% higher than people who do not inhale smoke either actively or passively.

However, there have been instances of even total non-smokers suffering from lung cancer. This indicates that smoking is not the only cause for lung cancer. It is the primary cause, yes, but not definitely the only cause. The following are some of the other causes of lung cancer:

Air pollution
Inhalation of asbestos fibers
Exposure to radon, a radioactive substance formed by breaking down uranium
Inhalation of marijuana fumes by smoking
Exposure of the chest area to radiation therapy during cancer treatment
Hereditary reasons
Presence of arsenic in drinking water
Diet with low fruit and vegetable content (this increases the risk of lung cancer in smokers)

A combination of exposure to tobacco along with any of these causes greatly increases the chances of a person contracting lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Symptoms

The following are some of the common symptoms of lung cancer. They do not usually manifest in the early stages. Even if they do, they are usually mistaken for some other ailment. These symptoms are:

Persistent coughing
Reddish or muddy brown spit
Loss of breath
Loss of appetite
Persistent or repetitive infections of the bronchial tract
Hoarseness of voice
Renewed wheezing

In its later advanced stages, when the lung cancer is said to be in metastasis, the symptoms are:

Numbness in the arms or legs
A jaundiced appearance
Tumorous growths near the skin surface
Seizures
Bone pain
Dizziness

Lung Cancer Detection and Diagnosis

It is very rare to be able to detect lung cancer in its early stages. There are no specific symptoms of early stages of lung cancer. This is one of the reasons why lung cancer is usually detected in its later stages.

The use of a proper screening technique would greatly increase the chances of early lung cancer detection. However, there is no such proper and totally effective screening technique yet. Research is on to see if one can be formulated soon. As of now, a new technique called spiral CT seems to be the best option for early detection.

Once lung cancer is detected, the next step is to determine the stage it is in. This is done using the AJCC system. Roman numerals are used to mark the different stages of lung cancer, numerals from 0 to IV. Sometimes the stages are further divided into substages, using denotations A and B. The general rule of thumb is that the lower the denomination, the less serious the condition.

Lung Cancer Treatment

Lung cancer treatment options are usually the same as prostate cancer treatment options or colon cancer treatment options. What I mean is that all forms of cancer have the same treatment options. However, lung cancer tests may be different from colon cancer tests. The standard treatment options for lung cancer are:

Surgery
Radiation Therapy
Chemotherapy

What matters is the combination of methods being used. The more serious the cancer, the more chances that different treatment options will be used in tandem, or one after the other.

References

http://www.aacr.org
www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/colon-and-rectal
http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Lung/General/Typesoflungcancer
http://www.cancer.org
http://www.lungcanceronline.org

The writer does freelance writing work. Primary areas are keyword-rich articles (especially in healthcare, insurance, credit), creative writing, blogposts, etc.

For more information please visit: http://www.projectrade.com

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Pleural Mesothelioma Cancer of the Lung Lining

Pleural Mesothelioma -- Cancer of the Lung Lining
By Fred Lindel

What is Pleural Mesothelioma?

Pleural Mesothelioma or malignant pleural mesothelioma is cancer in the layer of the lungs that can spread to the lungs. The spread of the tumor over the pleura results in pleural thickening. This hinders the reflexivity of the pleura and encases the lungs in an increasing restrictive belt. With the lungs thus restricted, they get constricted in no time and a person is always out of breath.

Pleural mesothelioma can be:

-Diffuse and malignant (carcinogenic)

-Localized and benign (non-cancerous)

Benign pleural mesothelioma can be removed surgically, but the malignant tumors are the real terror heads.

Most common among other mesothelioma cases, Pleural Mesothelioma is caused due to exposure to blue asbestos for a longer period of time, say 20 years, in which time the disease incubates only to show its fearful countenance via certain symptoms.

The symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma

The symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma include difficulty in breathing, difficulty in sleeping, pain in the chest and abdominal regions, blood vomits, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, lower back pains, persistent coughing, hoarseness of voice, sensory loss and difficulty in swallowing.

Diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma

The first step is to go through a chest X-ray or a CT scan (computed chest tomograph), which will reveal a pleural thickening and an effusion. This is followed by a bronchoscopy. However, it should always be left to a medical practitioner for a better understanding of the respective cases. Another method is a biopsy, which can be a needle biopsy, an open biopsy, or a thoracoscopy, where a mini camera is inserted inside the body and with that a tissue sample is attained for further diagnosis.

Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma

Treatment is directly proportional to the time of the revelation of the disease, i.e., at an early stage the tumor can be removed through surgery.

A pioneering mesothelioma treatment option is immunotherapy, e.g., intrapleural inoculation of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is a useful mesothelioma treatment in which an effort is made to intensify the immune response.

Radiation treatment and chemotherapy is probably then the answer to the malignant pleural mesothelioma, but this can aid the pain management only; there's no escaping death with Pleural Mesothelioma.

Side effects of Treatment

The side effects and penalty of mesothelioma lung cancer treatment are more than its treatment, which is damaged healthy tissues, a state of absolute fatigue ness; excessive radiation causes the skin to become red, dry and itchy.

Other side effects of radiotherapy are nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, urinary discomfort and a sudden reduction in the number of white blood corpuscles.

The average life span of a person with Pleural Mesothelioma is up to 6 months to a year and the maximum can reach up to 5 years - the magnesium-silicate mineral fibers take its toll that's more than painful.

Other factors that may accelerate the possibility of pleural mesothelioma are chronic lung infections, tuberculous pleuritis, radiation (Thorotrast), exposure to the simian virus 40 (SV40) or mineral fibers (Zeolite) and tobacco smoking to a certain extent.

Pleural Mesothelioma does not give a person the avenue for fair play. Though the existence depends much on the various stages of the disease, it is an ultimate killing menace that sucks out the life of the common man.

Fred Lindell is a successful writer and publisher of health related issues, for more informative articles go to http://www.mesotheliomaplaza.com

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Lung Cancer Symptoms

Lung Cancer Symptoms
By Steve Valentino

In approximately 25% of people with lung cancer, there are no symptoms and the cancer is detected during screening or a routine physical examination. However, in three-quarters of lung cancer patients there are warning symptoms and signs that can alert the patient or their physician.

Most commonly, lung cancer patients experience respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, hoarseness and a persistent cough. These symptoms are very common among smokers, and are also present in a number of other conditions such as asthma, emphysema and chest infections. A new cough should always be evaluated, as it may be a symptom of lung cancer. Lung cancer may spread to the chest wall, causing chest, shoulder and back pain. If cancer cells erode lung blood vessels, the patient may cough up blood. There may also be other generalized effects that occur with most cancers, such as fever, fatigue, appetite loss and weight loss.

As a lung cancer grows, it increasingly compromises the normal functioning of an affected lung. Secondary complications may occur, such as collection of fluid in the tissue lining the lungs (pleural effusion), lung collapse, airway obstruction, and repeated lung infections. Lung cancer may also spread or metastasize to other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, bones, liver and brain. Bone pain and abnormal liver or brain function may result.

The absence of symptoms does not necessarily indicate early disease, and the presence of non-specific chest symptoms can often go unheeded. Both these factors contribute to the fact that only about 15 percent of lung cancer patients are diagnosed in the early stages of disease. The later lung cancer is diagnosed, the less effective treatment options are. Delays in diagnosing lung cancer patients result in an overall survival rate of only 15 percent at five years after diagnosis.

Lung Cancer provides detailed information on Asbestos Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer, Lung Cancer Stages, Lung Cancer Survival Rate and more. Lung Cancer is affiliated with Asbestos Exposure.

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Early Symptoms of Lung Cancer

Early Symptoms of Lung Cancer
By Tim Grimsley

Common symptoms of Lung Cancer include: chronic cough, worsening breathlessness, weight loss, constant chest pain, and coughing up blood. Coughing up blood can be an early symptom. at this point the patient may still be curable. Smokers over the age of 40 should see a doctor immediately if blood is present when coughing.

Most people ignore the symptoms of lung cancer and are diagnosed to late. Over 50% of patients have progressed too far for treatment. Another lung disease that has similar symptoms is COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease also known as Smoker's Lung. Diagnosis of lung cancer can sometimes be missed because of the similarities of both diseases. Of patients that have COPD only one to two percent will develop cancer.

An x-ray showing a tumor is needed to positively diagnose Lung Cancer, unfortunately by the time a tumor is large enough to be seen on an x-ray it is usually too late. Biopsy is performed using a needle to obtain a sample for lab testing.

Small cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma and Adenocarcinoma are the three most common forms of lung cancer. It is very important for the correct diagnosis to be made early. The treatment of each type is different.

Small cell lung cancer is treated with chemotherapy. You must see an Oncologist for this treatment. Non-small cell cancer may be treated with radiotherapy. In about 20% of patients surgery may be the only course of action. Surgery will only be performed if there is a chance to fully remove the tumor.

With the advances in medicine that we are achieving everyday, Lung Cancer does not have a tragic end. About 10% of patients are cured of Lung Cancer the best way to increase the odds is through early detection.

Other forms of lung disease are also dangerous and should be watched for are... CONTINUE

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Hurricanes and Lung Cancer

Hurricanes and Lung Cancer
By Lance Winslow

After Natural Disasters there can be a lot of debris in the air and that can get into our lungs. Imagine a building with asbestos insulation torn apart and exposing all that insulation, well now you can see the problem.

One other issue which is happening right now is called the; 911 Death Cough, were first responders are getting sick and they are dying and coughing. Currently some 19,000 folks have the cough and so far less than 100 have died but they expect that the number may reach up into the 20,000 range in the next 10-years?

Well that is very unfortunate to see so many people who were only doing their jobs or trying to help, who are now dying due to breathing in airborne debris.

This very same thing can happen after Earthquakes, Tornadoes or of course large catastrophic Category Hurricanes like we saw during the 2005 Atlantic Tropical Hurricane Season. So there needs to be better protocols and consideration of wearing breathing apparatus, while emergency response is taking place, during clean up and demolition.

Even in the rebuilding stages we need to very much consider these things and watch the health of workers, first responders and construction personal. So, let us consider all of this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/

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Learn How To Prevent Lung Cancer

Learn How To Prevent Lung Cancer
By Michael Russell

Lung cancer is a malignant disease commonly associated with people who smoke heavily. It is estimated that a higher number of men are suffering from this form of cancer. Lately however, the number of women affected with lung cancer is steadily catching up with the number of men affected with the disease.

Diet is an important measure in preventing lung cancer. The risk of developing lung cancer for smokers and non-smokers alike are lowered when they eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Among the most important fruits and vegetables that should be included in your diet are apples, tomatoes, melons, mangoes, dark leafy greens and onions. Apple and onion are rich in cancer-fighting flavonoids. According to a study conducted in Finland, people who consume more apples are 58 percent less likely to develop lung cancer than those who do not eat apples at all.

Try to add some tomato sauce in your cooking. Research shows that tomatoes, especially cooked ones, seem to exhibit protective properties against lung cancer.

Taking in high amounts of beta-carotenes can also lower the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Carotenoid compounds are found in certain produce like peaches, mangoes, melon, squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and green leafy vegetables. Beta-carotene supplement however should be avoided. A study conducted by a Finnish group indicated that an 18 percent rise in lung cancer cases was seen in heavy smokers who were taking beta-carotene supplements. Moreover, the National Cancer Institute researchers also stopped their study on the effects of vitamin A and beta-carotene after smokers who were taking the supplements showed 28 percent more lung cancer than those taking placebos.

Another important measure in the prevention of lung cancer is a routine medical check-up. This should also be accompanied with prophylactic medicines and supplements. An x-ray is necessary especially for those people who smoke and are at the age of 50 and above. A yearly chest x-ray will be especially beneficial for those people who are at high risk of developing lung cancer. A chest x-ray is a preventive measure done to screen for lung cancer. A routine chest x-ray will enable doctors to diagnose lung cancer early so that proper treatment procedures will be implemented.

Aspirin has been shown to ward off lung cancer especially when a dosage of 81 to 325 mg is taken daily. However, you should consult your doctor about the prophylactic advantage of taking aspirin since this form of therapy comes with known side effects.

Selenium that is often found in multivitamin and mineral supplements also shows properties that ward off cancer especially when taken over a long period of time. Some studies show that those who are taking selenium supplements exhibit about 46 percent lower lung cancer rate.

Vitamin C is also good in the prevention of lung cancer. Some studies suggest that people who regularly take 140 mg or more of vitamin C have lower risk of developing lung cancer than those who only get 90 mg or less of vitamin C dosage.

Lifestyle change is also vital in the prevention of lung cancer. People who smoke should consider quitting the habit. When a person stops smoking, his lung cancer risk is lowered by almost half in 10 years.

Finally, the second most common cause of lung cancer is exposure to radon, a colorless gas found in the ground. Test your home for any presence of radon. You can either buy a do-it yourself kit to check for radon which is available in your home supply stores or you can hire a professional to do it for you.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Lung Cancer

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