It is characterized by abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells in the lung, forming a malignant tumor. cancers can be divided into two main types: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). In this post we will discuss how to tell if you have NSCLC or SCLC and what treatment options are available for each type.
WHAT IS LUNG CANCER?
Lung cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells that make up the lining of your lungs. It’s the most common type of cancer in both men and women, but it can occur at any age. Lung cancer cells grow quickly when they are not being watched, so you need to be aware that there may be signs or symptoms early on if you think you have lung cancer.
Cancer starts when DNA (the building blocks of genes) undergoes changes due to natural causes or bad habits like smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol excessively or exposure to environmental pollutants such as asbestos dust from construction sites etc., which leads to mutation and then abnormal cell growth resulting into tumors (tumors are groups of cells with different characteristics).
Cancer cells can spread to other parts of your body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. The cancer may also start in one part of the lung and then spread to another. If you have lung cancer, it’s important that you see a doctor right away so that they can diagnose and treat it properly.
WHO GETS LUNG CANCER?
Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer in both men and women. It’s also the leading cause of cancer death in both genders. Lung cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the lungs (called carcinoma) grow out of control and can spread to other parts of your body, including your bones or brain (metastatic). There are many risk factors that may increase your chances of getting lung cancer, including:
- Smoking cigarettes
- Exposure to asbestos while working as a construction worker
- Exposure to radon gas during mining activities
Exposure to certain chemicals and fumes in the workplace Exposure to radiation from medical treatments, such as x-rays or CT scans Being male over the age of 55 Having a history of heavy drinking Smoking cigarettes is by far the biggest risk factor for lung cancer. When you inhale cigarette smoke, these chemicals enter your lungs and bloodstream where they can damage DNA and cause cells to grow out of control. The risk of lung cancer increases with the amount of cigarettes smoked each day and the number of years you’ve been a smoker.
HOW IS LUNG CANCER DIAGNOSED?
If you're diagnosed with lung cancer, it's important to know how the disease is diagnosed. To begin with, your doctor will take a physical exam and use various tests to look for any symptoms or signs of lung cancer. They may also perform imaging studies such as X-rays and CT scans to help determine whether or not there's a tumor in your lungs. Your doctor may also order blood tests if they suspect that you have other health conditions (like diabetes) that could be causing symptoms in addition to lung cancer itself—but these are usually just used as part of regular screenings anyway!
They may also order a biopsy of your lungs, which can help them confirm the presence of cancer cells. This involves taking some tissue samples from inside your lungs and sending them to a lab for analysis.The biopsy will tell your doctor if there's a tumor in your lung, as well as whether or not it's cancerous. If the results come back positive, they'll also be able to determine what type of cancer you have and how advanced it is (meaning how far along the disease has progressed).
Once they've diagnosedlung cancer, your doctor will discuss treatment options with you. If it's diagnosed early, lung cancer is usually curable. However, if it's not treated immediately and allowed to spread, it can be fatal. If you're experiencing symptoms of lung cancer, it's important to see your doctor as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer has helped many patients live longer lives with better quality of life than if they'd waited for their symptoms to worsen.
IS THERE A CURE FOR LUNG CANCER?
The best way to treat lung cancer is with treatment. Unfortunately, there is no cure for lung cancer. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, as well as targeted therapies that target specific proteins in your body’s cells or genes that have been linked to certain types of tumors (e.g., EGFR kinase inhibitors).
While these treatments can help you live longer than those who don't get them—and some people even experience long-term remission after their initial diagnosis—they won't always be successful at curing your disease entirely and may cause side effects like hair loss or nausea during treatment. In some cases, it may also be difficult for family members who care for you because they need time off work due to fatigue or other symptoms caused by the medicines being used during active phases of treatment; however long-term survivors often continue working full time years after diagnosis with minimal interruptionsto their careers.
If you have lung cancer and are interested in learning more about treatment options, our doctors can help. They'll evaluate your situation by reviewing your medical history and performing an exam before discussing a course of treatment that's right for you.
HOW IS LUNG CANCER TREATED?
Early-stage lung cancer is usually treated with surgery and radiation therapy, while advanced-stage lung cancer requires chemotherapy or other therapies. Combination treatments may be used to increase survival rates in some cases of early-stage lung cancers. For example, combining chemotherapy with radiation therapy can kill more cells than either treatment alone without adding side effects like vomiting or hair loss.
Hormone therapy has been shown to improve survival rates among patients with hormone receptor positive (HR+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Cancer cells that have receptors for hormones do not respond normally when these hormones are blocked by medications called aromatase inhibitors such as anastrozole (Arimidex), letrozole (Femara) and exemestane (Aromasin). The medications work by blocking the effects of estrogen on breast cancer cells, which may allow doctors to delay or prevent recurrence. Hormone therapy may also be used as a first-line treatment for women with advanced-stage breast cancer and to reduce the risk of recurrence among patients who have completed surgery, radiation therapy and hormone therapy.
You can ask your doctor or nurse for help with self-care and follow-up appointments. Get information from the pharmacist about how to take medicine safely and how to store it properly. This is important because many medicines can harm your body if they get too hot or cold or are stored in the wrong place (such as on top of a refrigerator).
Talk with a dietitian about what foods are good for your lungs and why certain things make them sicker than others do; this will help keep them healthy overall when eating habits change over time due to illness progression (or remission), which happens often during cancer treatment periods when there's less appetite due physical weakness caused by radiation therapy treatments given before surgery was performed after diagnosis/surgery/chemotherapy done during treatment process(s)/procedure(s) performed immediately following diagnosis/surgery/chemotherapy done during treatment process(s)/procedure(s) performed immediately following diagnosis /surgery/chemotherapy done during treatment process(s)/procedure(s) performed immediately following diagnosis. You may also want to make a note of any foods that cause you to feel worse so that you know what to avoid in the future.
This can help you avoid further complications and make your recovery faster. If you have questions about what types of foods are good for your lungs or what things might be causing them harm, talk with a dietitian who can help guide you in the right direction.
CONCLUSION
It is important to know the symptoms of lung cancer so that you can recognize them early on, when it’s still treatable. If your doctor thinks you have lung cancer, they may recommend a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis before starting treatment. This can help them determine how aggressive your disease is, as well as whether other organs are affected.
