Lung Cancer - Smoke That Cigarette!

Posted on March 8, 2008

Introduction

Lung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. It is one of the most common cancers in the United States, accounting for about 15 percent of all cases, or 170,000 new cases each year. It is also the worst cancer killer in America, taking more lives each year than breast, prostate and colorectal cancers combined, according to the American Cancer Society. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths in US women and is responsible for as many deaths as breast and all gynecological cancers combined.

Smoking

Smoking, radon, and second hand smoke are the leading causes. Smoking causes an estimated 160,000* deaths in the US. Smoking leads to 85 percent to 90 percent of all lung cancers. Smoking affects non-smokers by exposing them to second hand smoke. If a person stops smoking, this chance steadily decreases as damage to the lungs is repaired and contaminant particles are gradually removed.

Radon

Radon is a colorless and odorless gas generated by the breakdown of radioactive radium, which in turn is the decay product of uranium, found in the earth’s crust. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. Radon causes between 15,000 and 22,000 deaths each year in the United States — 12 percent of all lung cancer deaths are linked to radon.

Risk

Risk factors include the following: Smoking cigarettes or cigars, now or in the past. Not all cases are due to smoking, but the role of passive smoking is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor, leading to policy interventions to decrease undesired exposure of non-smokers to others’ tobacco smoke. A smoker who is also exposed to radon has a much higher risk. The more cigarettes you smoke per day and the earlier you started smoking, the greater your risk of lung cancer. High levels of pollution, radiation and asbestos exposure may also increase risk.

Symptoms

Symptoms include: Chronic cough, Hoarseness, Coughing up blood, Weight loss & loss of appetite, Shortness of breath, Fever without a known reason, Wheezing, Repeated bouts of bronchitis or pneumonia and Chest pain. About 10% of people do not have symptoms at diagnosis; these cancers are incidentally found on routine chest x-rays. In fact, lung cancer can spread outside the lungs without causing any symptoms.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cancer’s specific cell type, how far it has spread, and the patient’s performance status. It also depends on the stage, or how advanced it is. Treatment choices can be discussed with a doctor. It may include chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. In recent years, various molecular targeted therapies have been developed as treatments.

Conclusion

Lung cancer is the second most commonly occurring form of cancer in most western countries, and it is the leading cancer-related cause of death. It is the most common cause of cancer deaths in both men and women, accounting for nearly a third of cancer deaths annually in the United States. It has become the subject of a great amount of research. Although the rate of men dying from it is declining in western countries, it is actually increasing for women due to the increased takeup of smoking by this group. We already know that the best way to prevent it is to quit (or never start) smoking. Three to five years after quitting, the risk of getting the disease is reduced by half.

Richard H. Ealom is the Author of this article and the creator of “Free Articles On Diseases: How To Prevent and Cure Them”. 93 Disease specific websites with extensive information on Alternative and Orthodox methods and products to increase your understanding of Treatment and Curing diseases. Please visit http://rainydrops.com/a-lung-cancer/lung-cancer.php or http://rainydrops.com/alternative-orthodox.php

Article Author :Richard_Ealom

Last 6 posts in Lung Mesothelioma Asbestos

Causes of Breast Cancer - Still a Mystery?

If you do your research, you’ll find that the information given still points to the “I don’t know, but here are the risk factors” lame explanation. What a lot of you know what! Sometimes I wonder if the people who write these things really think it through.

Here’s what I mean… “most women who develop breast cancer have no risk factors other than simply being a woman and getting older (especially being over 50). Talk to your doctor about your risk… blah, blah, blah.

Wouldn’t a better explanation be… “most women who develop breast cancer have no risk factors other than simply… Continue reading

Breast Cancer Symptoms - Knowing What to Look For

Since most women today are quite aware of breast cancer and self testing, there are still many who only have a general knowledge of the symptoms of breast cancer. Knowing what to look for when suspecting you might have breast cancer, may save your life!

So let’s begin with what most women have become accustomed to doing, that is checking for lumps in their breast and the armpits. However, keep in mind that lumps in the breast does not necessarily mean you have breast cancer. Actually, they’re very common especially during menstruation, but doesn’t mean you have breast cancer.

Most often breast… Continue reading

Breast Cancer Fully Explained

If you were to look up “breast” in the dictionary, you’d find that it relates to the chest area. The reason for such a broad definition is that both males and females have chests and hence breasts, and both males and females can get breast cancer.

The difference, however, between male and female breast cancers and why women are more at risk of developing breast cancer is because of their make-up. Womens breasts is a gland designed to make milk. The lobules in the breast make the milk, which then drains through the ducts to the nipple.

Like all parts of your… Continue reading

Tags: , , , , ,

Related posts

» Filed Under Lung Mesothelioma Asbestos

Comments

Leave a Reply