Lung Cancer

Lung cancer

Lung cancer ranks third among the deadliest of cancer diseases in terms of scope and reach. Next to prostate cancer and breast cancer, it is one of the most common types of cancer that plagues both men and women in America.

What is i?

It results from the accumulation of excess cells in the lungs. These cells are damaged and old, but instead of following the normal process and dying a natural death in order to be replaced by new cells, these useless cells form into tissue mass called tumor, or growth. Tumors may be classified as benign or malignant. A benign lung tumor is not a cause for worry; it is not a medical threat as it does not invade and spread to other organs of the body, and more often, a benign lung tumor need not be removed.

On the other hand, a malignant lung tumor poses a great threat to the life of a patient, for it is may spell detrimental results especially for individuals who already have defective lungs as a result of bad habits, unhealthy lifestyle, or volatile working environments. Malignant lung tumors invade the tissues of the lungs and other organs, and consequently spread cancer cells throughout the body, attaching to other organs and forming new and fatal lung carcinoma that prompts the weak lungs of the patient to be wasted away by the disease; thus lung cancer is diagnosed in the patient.

Symptoms of lung cancer only emerge after the cancer has grown considerably. Cancer symptoms include having stubborn cough that worsens overtime and does not go away; having difficulty in breathing; having consistent chest pains; having blood in the spit or sputum; having a hoarse voice; having a feeling of tiredness and exhaustion most of the time; and having considerable weight loss without changes in the individual's lifestyle nor diet.

How to treat it

The treatment of cancer depends on the type and stage of the cancer that the patient is suffering from. Doctors may recommend surgery, or chemotherapy, or radiation therapy, or targeted therapy to treat the disease. Most often, one cancer treatment is combined with another to achieve the best results for the lung cancer patient.

A healthy lifestyle including eating healthy, regular exercise and care for the lungs by not smoking and by having periodic check-ups to detect early signs of the disease is the best way to avoid lung cancer.