Butt Out to Kick Cancer
Cells are the building blocks that form our lives. We know that cells naturally grow, divide, and multiply to keep out bodies healthy and strong. Occasionally, however, these same cells will divide and multiply when there is no need to do so. This results in a mass of cells known as a tumor, or cancer. An unchecked and rapid growth of cells in the lung is lung cancer. There are two forms of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer.
Lung cancer is categorized on the basis of the morphology of cells as seen under a microscope. Each type of lung cancer has spreads in different ways, and has its own method of treatment.
The regularly occurring lung cancer is non-small lung cancer, which grows and spreads slowly. The three major kinds of non-small cell lung cancer are large cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
Small cell lung cancer is not as prevalent as non-small lung cancer. This type of lung cancer spreads rapidly and may grow to affect other organs in the body. Oat cell cancer is another term used to describe this disease.
Recently lung cancer has been recognized as the deadliest form of cancer in many developed nations, including the USA where 170,000 people die from the disease each year. Even though lung changes start almost immediately upon exposure to carcinogens, lung cancer takes years together to develop.
The inhalation of the carcinogens through cigarette smoke is the main cause of lung cancer in both smokers and non-smokers. The risk of contracting lung cancer increases when there is an environmental exposure to radon compounded with smoking. People working in places with exposure to asbestos face another form of lung cancer known as mesothelioma lung cancer.
Lung cancer mostly affects people over fifty and who also had the habit of smoking for a quite long time. The lung cancer symptoms vary based upon the location of the tumor in the lungs. You may suspect lung cancer if you are experiencing chronic cough, chest pain, wheezing, and recurring lung infections.
An experienced health care professional can diagnose lung cancer based on symptoms, smoking history, medical history, earlier family history of lung cancer, and exposure to occupational and environmental materials. After the initial tests, an X-Ray can be used to make an affirmative diagnosis. Different tests are available to diagnose small cell or non-small lung cancer and to gauge the stage of the cancer. Medical professionals are also able to confirm whether the cancer is localized within the lung or has spread to other parts of the body.
There are several treatment options for lung cancer patients. Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses medications to eliminate the cancerous cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays and X-Rays for cell elimination. Surgery is another option in which the cancerous tumor is removed from the body. There is a moderate success rate of treating early stage lung cancer, although treatment of advanced stage lung cancer is considered to be difficult.
As prevention is better than cure, it is highly prudent not to use any tobacco. The best way to reduce the occurrence of lung cancer is to quit smoking. If you quit smoking at the earliest opportunity, you may gradually decrease your risk of lung cancer over 10 to 15 years as your lungs recover.
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