What causes Lung Cancer?
Cigarette smoke is proved to be a major factor of lung cancer and chronic
lung disease. The harmful ingredients of tobacco are the key factors responsible
for lung cancer and other lung diseases
Riskt: People who smoke one pack a day increase their risk of suffering 10 times
compared with non-smokers.
Smoking is considered as the major factor of lung cancer. Hence the only means
of prevention from lung cancer is by quitting smoking. It also reduces the
risk of developing other smoking-related diseases, such as heart disease and
stroke.
Lung cancer normally has a long incubation period. Once the exposure begins;
some abnormal cells may appear in the lining of the bronchi (the main breathing
tubes). And as smoking is continued the exposure to these substances create
abnormal cells and some can become cancerous and tumour forming.
Symptoms of lung cancer:
•
Breathlessness
•
Bronchitis
•
Pneumonia
•
Weight loss
•
loss of appetite
•
Chronic & persistent cough
•
Chest pain
•
Coughing up blood
•
An increase in mucous production
•
Wheezing
Smokers are always at a high risk category.
How is lung cancer diagnosed?
Lung cancer can be diagnosed by a
•
Chest x-ray
•
CT Scan
•
Lung Tests & Biopsies
How is Lung cancer treated?
The treatment of lung cancer differs from one person to person based
on the severity.
•
Current health status
•
Whether or not tumor has spread
•
Severity of the cancer
Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of these methods, called
combination therapy is followed when a person quits smoking.
Surgery
This is used in rare cases when a part of an infected lobe is removable
.The extent of the surgery may involve removing part of a lobe, a
whole lobe,
or the entire lung.
Some tumors cant be removed due to their size, location and severity.
Radiation Therapy
An external x-ray that are given to destroy cancer cells. It is used
to relieve pain and tumour symptoms and eliminate or decrease the
size of the tumor.
Chemotherapy is the use of medication & drugs for decreasing the size of
tumor or kill cancer cells. Treatment may be performed in the form of drugs & medications
, injections or catheter (drip).
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