Symptoms and treatment of Lung cancer

Description

Lung cancer is a type of cancer that begins as a growth of the cells in the lungs. The lungs are two spongy bodies in the chest that control breathing.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer throughout the world.

People who smoke have an increased risk of lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer increases with the length of time and number of cigarettes smoked. Quitting smoking, even after smoking for many years, significantly reduces the chances of developing lung cancer. Lung cancer can also occur in people who have never smoked.

Symptoms

Lung cancer usually does not cause symptoms early on. The symptoms of lung cancer typically occur when the disease is advanced.

The signs and symptoms of lung cancer that occur in and around the lungs can include:

A new cough that does not go away.
Pain in the chest.
Coughing up blood, even a small amount.
The hoarseness.
Shortness of breath.
Wheezing.

The signs and symptoms that occur when the cancer spreads to other parts of the body may include:

Pain in the bones.
The pain of a headache.
Losing weight without trying.
Loss of appetite.
Swelling in the face or neck.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor or other health care professional if you have any symptoms that worry you.

If you are a smoker and I have not been able to quit smoking, make an appointment. Your healthcare provider may recommend strategies to quit smoking. These may include counseling, medications and nicotine replacement products.

Causes

Lung cancer occurs when cells in the lungs develop changes in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do. In healthy cells, the DNA contains the instructions to grow and multiply at a set rate. The instructions that tell cells to die at a set time. In cancer cells, changes in DNA to give different instructions. The changes, to tell the cancer cells to make many more cells quickly. Cancer cells can continue living when healthy cells would die. This makes too many cells.

The cancer cells may form a mass called a tumor. The tumor can grow to invade and destroy healthy body tissue. At the time, cancer cells can break off and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads, it is called metastatic cancer.

Smoking causes most lung cancers. It can cause cancer of the lung, both in smokers and in people exposed to second-hand smoke. But lung cancer also occurs in people who have never smoked or been exposed to second-hand smoke. In these people, there can be no clear cause of lung cancer.

How smoking causes lung cancer

The researchers believe that smoking causes lung cancer by damaging the cells that line the lungs. Cigarette smoke is full of cancer-causing substances, called carcinogens. When you inhale cigarette smoke, carcinogens cause changes in the lung tissue almost immediately.

In the first place, your body may be able to repair this damage. But with each repeated exposure, healthy cells that line the lungs become more damaged. With time, the damage causes cells to change and, finally, cancer may develop.

Types of lung cancer

Lung cancer is divided into two main types based on the appearance of the cells under a microscope. Your health care professional makes treatment decisions based on the main types of lung cancer that you have.

The two general types of lung cancer include:

Small cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer usually occurs only in people who have smoked a lot for years. Small cell lung cancer is less common than non-small cell lung cancer.
Non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is a category that includes various types of lung cancers. Non-small cell lung cancer include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma.

Risk factors

A number of factors that may increase the risk of lung cancer. Some risk factors can be controlled, for example, by quitting smoking. Other factors cannot be controlled, such as the history of his family.

Risk factors for lung cancer include:

Smoking

Your risk of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes you smoke each day. The risk also increases with the number of years you have smoked. Quitting smoking at any age can significantly reduce your risk of developing lung cancer.

Exposure to second-hand smoke

Even if you do not smoke, the risk of lung cancer increases if you're near people who are smoking. Breathing the smoke in the air from other people's smoke is called secondhand smoke.

Previous radiation therapy

If you have received radiation therapy to the chest for another type of cancer, you may have an increased risk of developing lung cancer.

Exposure to radon gas

Radon is produced by the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rocks and water. Radon, eventually, it becomes part of the air that you breathe. Dangerous levels of radon can build up in any building, including homes.

Exposure to cancer-causing substances

Workplace exposure to cancer-causing substances, called carcinogens, may increase your risk of developing lung cancer. The risk may be greater if you smoke. Carcinogens linked to lung cancer risk include asbestos, arsenic, chromium and nickel.

Family history of lung cancer

People with a parent, sibling or child with lung cancer have a greater risk of the disease.

Complications

The lung cancer can cause complications, such as:

Shortness of breath

People with lung cancer may experience difficulty breathing if the cancer grows to block the main airways. Lung cancer can also cause fluid to collect around the lungs and heart. The liquid makes it more difficult for the affected lung to expand fully when you breathe in.

Coughing up blood

The lung cancer can cause bleeding in the airway. This can cause you to cough up blood. Sometimes the bleeding can be severe. The treatments are available to control the bleeding.

The pain

The advanced lung cancer that spreads can cause pain. It can spread to the lining of the lung or to another area of the body, such as a bone. Tell your health care professional if you experience pain. There are many treatments available for pain control.

Fluid in the chest

The lung cancer can cause fluid to accumulate in the chest, it is called a pleural effusion. The fluid accumulates in the space that surrounds the affected lung in the chest cavity, called the pleural space.

The Pleural effusion can cause shortness of breath. Treatments are available to drain the fluid out of his chest. The treatments can reduce the risk of pleural effusion is going to happen again.

Cancer that spreads to other parts of the body

Lung cancer often spreads to other parts of the body. The lung cancer can spread to the brain and the bones.

Cancer that spreads can cause pain, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms depending on what organ is affected. Once lung cancer has spread beyond the lungs, usually cannot be cured. Treatments are available to reduce symptoms and help you live longer.

Prevention

There is No sure way to prevent lung cancer, but you can reduce your risk if you:

Do not smoke

If you've never smoked, don't start. Talk to your children about not smoking so that they can understand how to avoid this major risk factor for lung cancer. Start conversations about the dangers of smoking with your children so they know how to react to peer pressure.

Stop smoking

Quit smoking now. Quitting smoking lowers the risk of lung cancer, even if you have smoked for years. Talk with your health care team about the strategies and aids that can help you stop smoking. Options include nicotine replacement products, medications and support groups.

Avoid second-hand smoke

If you live or work with a person who smokes, I urge you to quit smoking. At least, ask them to smoke outside. Avoid areas where people smoke, such as bars. Search smoke-free options.

Test your home for radon

Have the radon levels in your home checked, especially if you live in an area where radon is known to be a problem. High radon levels can be fixed to make your home more secure. Radon test kits are often sold at hardware stores and can be purchased online. For more information on radon testing, contact your local department of public health.

Avoid carcinogens at work

Take precautions to protect yourself from exposure to toxic chemicals at work. Follow your employer's precautions. For example, if you are given a mask of protection, always wear it. Ask your health care professional what more we can do to protect yourself in the place of work. The risk of lung damage from carcinogens in the workplace increases if you smoke.

Eat a diet full of fruits and vegetables

Choose a healthy diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Food sources of vitamins and nutrients are best. Avoid taking large doses of vitamins in pill form, as they may be harmful. For example, researchers with the hope of reducing the risk of lung cancer in people who smoked heavily were given supplements of beta-carotene. The results showed that the supplements increase the risk of cancer in people who smoke.

Exercise most days of the week

If you don't exercise regularly, start out slowly. Try to exercise most days of the week.

Diagnosis

The lung cancer diagnosis often begins with an imaging test to look at the lungs. If you have symptoms that concern you, a health professional might start with an X-ray. If you smoke or used to smoke, you may have an imaging test to look for signs of lung cancer before developing symptoms.

Testing healthy people for lung cancer

People with a higher risk of lung cancer may consider annual lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography. Lung cancer screening is generally offered to people over the age of 50 years who smoked a lot over the years. The detection is also offered to people who have quit smoking in the past 15 years.

Discuss your lung cancer risk with your health care professional. Together you can decide whether lung cancer screening is right for you.

Tests to diagnose lung cancer

If your healthcare provider believes you may have lung cancer, a number of tests that can be used to look for cancer cells and to rule out other conditions.

Tests may include:

Imaging tests. Imaging tests create pictures of the body. You can display the location and size of the lung cancer. The tests may include X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging , computed tomography and positron emission tomography, also called PET scan.
Sputum cytology. Sputum is the mucus that is expelled from the lungs. If you have a cough with sputum, it can be examined under a microscope. The sputum can sometimes show lung cancer cells.
The biopsy.A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing in a lab. Your health care team can perform a lung cancer biopsy of several ways. One way is to bronchoscopy. During the bronchoscopy, a professional of the health passes through a lighted tube with a camera down the throat to the lungs to examine the area. Special tools can be passed through the tube to collect a sample of tissue. Mediastinoscopy is also an option. During mediastinoscopy, an incision is made on the base of your neck. The surgical instruments are inserted behind the sternum (breastbone) to take samples of tissue from the lymph nodes. Another option is a needle biopsy. In a needle biopsy, your health care professional uses X-rays orCTimages to guide a needle through the skin in the chest. The needle penetrates into the lung tissue to collect cells that may be cancerous. A biopsy sample may also be taken from the lymph nodes or other areas where the cancer has spread.

The biopsy. A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing in a lab.

Your health care team can perform a lung cancer biopsy of several ways. One way is to bronchoscopy. During the bronchoscopy, a professional of the health passes through a lighted tube with a camera down the throat to the lungs to examine the area. Special tools can be passed through the tube to collect a sample of tissue.

Mediastinoscopy is also an option. During mediastinoscopy, an incision is made on the base of your neck. The surgical instruments are inserted behind the sternum (breastbone) to take samples of tissue from the lymph nodes.

Another option is a needle biopsy. In a needle biopsy, your health care professional uses X-rays or CT imaging to guide a needle through the skin in the chest. The needle penetrates into the lung tissue to collect cells that may be cancerous.

A biopsy sample may also be taken from the lymph nodes or other areas where the cancer has spread.

The cancer cells will be carefully examined in a lab to determine what type of lung cancer you have. The results can help to determine the likely outcome of your cancer, called the prognosis and to guide treatment.

Tests to determine the extent of the cancer

If you are diagnosed with lung cancer, you may do other tests to see if the cancer has spread. These tests can help your health care team figure out the extent of your cancer, also called stage. Cancer staging tests often involve testing image. Tests to detect signs of cancer in the lymph nodes or other parts of your body. Your healthcare team uses the stage of the cancer, the results of the test to help you to create your treatment plan.

Imaging tests may include mri , CT , bone scan, and PET scan. Not each of the tests is appropriate for each person. Talk with your healthcare provider about the procedures that will work for you.

The stages of lung cancer in the range of 1 to 4. The lower number means the cancer is small and only in the lung. As the cancer grows or spreads outside the lungs, the numbers get higher. A stage 4 lung cancer has spread to other areas of the body.

In the small cell lung cancer, the stages can be called limited or extensive. In the limited stage, the cancer affects the lung and the area around it. In the extensive stage, the cancer has spread to the other lung or to other parts of the body.

Treatment

The treatment for lung cancer usually begins with surgery to remove the cancer. If the cancer is very large or has spread to other parts of the body, surgery may not be possible. The treatment can begin with the medicine and radiation in its place. Your health care team takes into account many factors when creating a treatment plan. These factors can include your general health, the type and stage of your cancer, and your preferences.

Some people with lung cancer choose not to have treatment. For example, you may feel that the side effects of treatment are greater than the possible benefits. When that is the case, your health care professional may suggest the comfort of care to treat only the symptoms the cancer is causing.

Surgery

During the surgery, the surgeon works to remove the lung cancer and healthy tissue that surrounds it. Procedures to remove the lung cancer include:

Wedge resection to remove a small section of the lung containing the cancer along with a margin of healthy tissue.
Segmental resection to remove a larger portion of the lung, but not a whole lobe.
Lobectomy to remove the entire lobe of a lung.
Pneumonectomy to remove the entire lung.

If you have surgery, the surgeon may also remove lymph nodes in the chest in order to test them for cancer.

Surgery may be an option if the cancer is located only in the lungs. If it is a lung cancer, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy may be used before surgery to reduce the size of the cancer. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy may also be used after surgery if there is a risk that the cancer cells were left behind or that the cancer may return.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy treats cancer with powerful rays of energy. The energy can come from X-rays, protons or other sources. During radiation therapy, you lie on a table while a machine moves around you. The machine directs radiation to precise points on your body.

For the lung cancer that has spread to the chest, radiation may be used before surgery or after surgery. It is often combined with chemotherapy treatments. If surgery is not an option, combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy can be your first treatment.

For the lung cancer that have spread to other areas of the body, radiation therapy can help relieve the symptoms.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy treats the cancer with strong medications. Many chemotherapy drugs exist. Most are administered through a vein. Some come in the form of a pill. A combination of drugs usually is given in a series of treatments over a period of weeks or months. Breaks in the middle is used to help in the recovery.

Chemotherapy is often used after surgery to destroy any cancer cells that may remain. Can be used alone or in combination with radiation therapy. Chemotherapy may also be used before surgery to shrink the cancer and make it easier to remove.

In people with lung cancer that has spread, chemotherapy may be used to relieve pain and other symptoms.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy

Stereotactic body radiotherapy is an intense radiation treatment. This treatment has the goal of beams of radiation from many angles in cancer. Stereotactic body radiotherapy treatment is typically completed in one or a few treatments. Sometimes, this treatment is called stereotactic radiosurgery.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy may be an option for people with small cancers of the lung that are unable to undergo surgery. It can also be used to treat lung cancer that spreads to other parts of the body, including the brain.

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy for cancer is a treatment that uses drugs that attack specific chemicals in cancer cells. By blocking these chemicals, specific treatments can cause cancer cells to die. For lung cancer, targeted therapy can be used by people with cancer that spreads, or comes back after treatment.

Some targeted therapies only work in the people that the cancer cells have been certain changes in the DNA. Cancer cells can be analyzed in a laboratory to see if these medications can help.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy for cancer is a treatment with a medication that helps the body's immune system to kill cancer cells. The immune system fights diseases by attacking the germs and other cells that should not be in the body. Cancer cells survive by hiding from the immune system. Immunotherapy helps the cells of the immune system find and kill cancer cells.

For lung cancer, immunotherapy may be used after surgery to destroy any cancer cells that remain. When surgery is not an option, immunotherapy could help control the cancer.

Palliative care

Palliative care is a special type of health care that helps you feel better when you have a serious illness. If you have cancer, palliative care can help relieve the pain and other symptoms. A health care team that may include doctors, nurses and other specially trained health professionals providing palliative care. The care team's goal is to improve the quality of life for you and your family.

Palliative care specialists work with you, your family and your care team. They provide an extra layer of support, while you have cancer treatment. You can have palliative care at the same time that you are getting strong cancer treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

The use of palliative care with other appropriate treatments can help people with cancer feel better and live longer.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Many people with lung cancer experience shortness of breath. Treatments such as supplemental oxygen and medications are available to help you feel more comfortable. However, they are not always sufficient.

To deal with the lack of breath, it can help to:

Try to relax

Shortness of breath can be scary. But the fear and anxiety make it hard to breathe. When you start to feel short of breath, choose an activity that helps you relax. Listen to music, imagine your favorite vacation spot, meditate or pray a prayer.

Find a comfortable position

You can help to lean forward when you feel short of breath.

Focus on your breath

When you feel short of breath, focus your mind on the breath. Instead of trying to fill your lungs with air, concentrate on moving the muscles that control breathing. Try breathing with pursed lips and the rhythm of their breaths with its activity.

Save your energy for what is important

If you're short of breath, you may tire easily. Prioritize your tasks for the day, so that you can save your energy for what needs to be done.

Tell your healthcare professional if you experience shortness of breath, or if your symptoms get worse. There are many other treatments available to relieve the shortness of breath.

Alternative medicine

Complementary and alternative lung cancer treatments can't cure cancer. But complementary and alternative treatments often can be combined with your health care team care to help relieve symptoms.

The American College of chest Physicians suggests that people with lung cancer may find comfort in:

Acupuncture

During an acupuncture session, a trained practitioner inserts small needles into precise points on your body. Acupuncture can relieve pain and facilitate cancer treatment side effects, such as nausea and vomiting.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is usually conducted by a therapist who takes you through relaxation exercises. The therapist may ask you to think of pleasant and positive thoughts. Hypnosis can reduce the anxiety, the nausea and the pain in people with cancer.

Massage

During the massage, massage therapists use their hands to apply pressure to skin and muscles. Massage can help to relieve anxiety and pain in people with cancer. Some massage therapists are specially trained to work with people who have cancer.

Meditation

Meditation is a moment of silent reflection on what you focus on something. It can be an idea, image, or sound. Meditation can reduce stress and improve the quality of life in people with cancer.

Yoga

Yoga combines gentle stretching movements with deep breathing and meditation. Yoga can help people with cancer to sleep better.

Coping and support

With time, you will find what helps you to deal with the uncertainty and distress of a cancer diagnosis. Until then, you may find that it helps to:

Learn enough about lung cancer to make decisions about your care

Ask your health care team about your cancer, including your test results, treatment options, and, if you like, your prognosis. As you learn more about lung cancer, you can be more confident in making treatment choices.

Keep friends and family close

Keep your close relationships strong will help you deal with lung cancer. Friends and family can provide the practical support you need, such as help to take care of your house if you're in the hospital. And that you can serve as emotional support when you feel overwhelmed by the fact of having cancer.

Find someone to talk to

Find someone who is willing to listen to you talk about your hopes and fears. This can be a friend or family member. The concern and understanding of a counselor, medical social worker, clergy member or cancer support group may also be useful.

Ask your health care team about support groups in your area. Other sources of information are the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.

Preparing for your appointment

Make an appointment with a doctor or other health care professional if you have any symptoms that worry you.

If your healthcare provider suspects that you have cancer of the lung, it is likely that you will be referred to a specialist. Specialists who treat lung cancer may include:

The oncologists. Doctors who specialize in the treatment of cancer.
Pulmonologists. The doctors that diagnose and treat lung diseases.
The radiation oncologists. The medical uses of radiation to treat cancer.
Thoracic surgeons. The surgeons operating in the lungs.
Specialists in palliative care. The doctors treating the signs and symptoms of cancer and its treatment.

Because appointments can be brief, it is a good idea to be prepared. Here's some information to help you prepare.

What you can do

Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there is anything that you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet.
Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that do not seem to be related to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
Write down key personal information, including major stresses or recent life changes.
Make a list of all medications, vitamins or supplements you are taking and the dose. Or you may prefer to bring your medicine bottles with you to your appointment.
Gather your medical records. If you have had a chest x-ray or a test performed by a health care professional, try to get that file and take it with you to your appointment.
Consider the possibility of a family member or friend. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember all the information provided during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
Write questions to ask their health care team.

Questions to ask if you have been diagnosed with lung cancer

Your time with your health care team is limited, so preparing a list of questions can help you make the most of their time together. A list of questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For lung cancer, some basic questions to ask include:

What type of lung cancer do I have?
I can see the chest x-ray or ct scan that shows my cancer?
What is the cause of my symptoms?
What is the stage of my lung cancer?
More evidence is needed?
In the event that my cell lung cancer be tested for changes in genes that can determine the treatment options?
Has my cancer spread to other parts of my body?
What are my treatment options?
Any of these treatment options to cure my cancer?
What are the possible side effects of each treatment?
There is a treatment you think is best for me?
There is a benefit, if I quit now?
What advice would you give to a friend or family member in my situation?
What happens if I don't want the treatment?
There are ways to relieve the symptoms I'm experiencing?
Can I enroll in a clinical trial?
You should see a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover it?
Are there brochures or other material that I can take with me? What sites do you recommend?

Do not hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Be prepared to answer questions, such as:

When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
The symptoms been permanent or casual?
How severe are the symptoms?
Do you wheeze when you breathe?
Do you have a cough that feels like you're clearing your throat?
Have you ever been diagnosed with emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
Do you take medication for shortness of breath?
What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?