An Overview of Lung Cancer

By Ajishnu Sharma

General Information on Lung Cancer

Lung cancer, or carcinoma of the lung, is one of the most common forms of cancer today. It is one of the most frequent causes of cancer-related mortality in the United States today. In the United States, another form of cancer that is becoming increasingly common is breast cancer, which is the development of malignant tissue in the breast. Breast cancer is seen mostly in women, though this does not mean that men are immune to it. A small percentage of men too contract breast cancer. The numbers are small, 1 man with breast cancer against a 100 women with it, but its there. However, there is one major difference between breast cancer and lung cancer. One can see the symptoms of breast cancer at an early stage, while in the case of lung cancer, the symptoms are not detected early, primarily because they match the symptoms of other lesser ailments. In this article, we will discuss lung cancer.

A person is said to suffer from lung cancer when a growth of malignant cancer cells is detected in the lungs. Depending on the stage at which lung cancer is detected, it can be classified as being in the:

• Early stages
• Mid-stages
• Advanced stages

Today, there is a vast amount of information on lung cancer available. Patients or relatives of patients can access information over the Internet, which has an almost limitless number of websites dedicated to different aspects of lung cancer – types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, etc. For example, if you are from the United Kingdom and want to research information on lung cancer treatment, facilities, etc in your country, you can simply log onto the website of Cancer Research UK, UK’s leading cancer charity, and collect whatever information you want from their site.

Earlier on, treatment of lung cancer was not an easy thing to do, owing to the huge amount of expenses in the form of medical bills, hospital stays fees, etc. However, nowadays with the availability of insurance, things have become easier. Lung cancer insurance is available easily, as is insurance covering other forms of cancer.

Types of Lung Cancer

Two main types of lung cancer exist today. Both of these are seen in the epithelial cells of the lungs. They are:

• Small cell lung cancer (SLCC)
• Non-small cell lung cancer

There is another type, called mixed small cell/large cell lung cancer. In this type you can find both kinds of cells in the cancerous tissue.

Besides these two types, there is another form of cancer of the lung area, called mesothelioma or mesothelioma cancer or cancer of the mesothelium. However, this is not considered a primary form of lung cancer, as its target area is not the lobes of the lung, but the pleural membrane covering the lung.

Small Cell Lung Cancer
This is the rarer of the two basic forms of lung cancer. One out of every five lung cancer patients suffer from small cell lung cancer.

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer, or non-small lung cancer, is the more common of the two basic forms of lung cancer. Four out of five lung cancer patients suffer from this type of cancer.

Based on the cell type/area in which the carcinogenic cells proliferate in the lungs, non-small cell lung cancer is further categorized into three types. They are:

• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Adenocarcinoma
• Large Cell Carcinoma
• Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma (BAC)

Squamous Cell Carcinoma
This is the most common type of lung cancer. It occurs in the cells lining the airways inside the lungs. This form of cancer occurs mostly due to nicotine ingestion through smoking.

Adenocarcinoma
This form of cancer is seen in the mucus cells within the airways in the lung.

Large Cell Carcinoma
This is also called undifferentiated lung cancer. In large cell carcinoma, the proliferating cells are round and much larger than the cells seen in adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.

Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma (BAC)
This form of cancer is seen in the bronchioalveolar region of the lung.

What Causes Lung Cancer?

The main cause of lung cancer is exposure to tobacco. This is primarily through smoking. About 80% of lung cancer patients are smokers. Smokers may be cigarette smokers, cigar smokers, or pipe smokers; it doesn’t matter. The risk of contracting lung cancer is equal in all the three cases.

A person may inhale smoke directly. A person can also inhale smoke passively or involuntarily. This smoke is also called secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is of two types:

• Mainstream – This is the smoke exhaled by the smoker, and amounts to more than 50% of all secondhand smoke.
• Sidestream – This is the smoke emanating from the burning end of a cigarette/cigar/pipe/hookah.

Passive smokers too stand a high chance of contracting lung cancer. The chances of passive/secondary smokers contracting lung cancer is 30% higher than people who do not inhale smoke either actively or passively.

However, there have been instances of even total non-smokers suffering from lung cancer. This indicates that smoking is not the only cause for lung cancer. It is the primary cause, yes, but not definitely the only cause. The following are some of the other causes of lung cancer:

• Air pollution
• Inhalation of asbestos fibers
• Exposure to radon, a radioactive substance formed by breaking down uranium
• Inhalation of marijuana fumes by smoking
• Exposure of the chest area to radiation therapy during cancer treatment
• Hereditary reasons
• Presence of arsenic in drinking water
• Diet with low fruit and vegetable content (this increases the risk of lung cancer in smokers)

A combination of exposure to tobacco along with any of these causes greatly increases the chances of a person contracting lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Symptoms

The following are some of the common symptoms of lung cancer. They do not usually manifest in the early stages. Even if they do, they are usually mistaken for some other ailment. These symptoms are:

• Persistent coughing
• Reddish or muddy brown spit
• Loss of breath
• Loss of appetite
• Persistent or repetitive infections of the bronchial tract
• Hoarseness of voice
• Renewed wheezing

In its later advanced stages, when the lung cancer is said to be in metastasis, the symptoms are:

• Numbness in the arms or legs
• A jaundiced appearance
• Tumorous growths near the skin surface
• Seizures
• Bone pain
• Dizziness

Lung Cancer Detection and Diagnosis

It is very rare to be able to detect lung cancer in its early stages. There are no specific symptoms of early stages of lung cancer. This is one of the reasons why lung cancer is usually detected in its later stages.

The use of a proper screening technique would greatly increase the chances of early lung cancer detection. However, there is no such proper and totally effective screening technique yet. Research is on to see if one can be formulated soon. As of now, a new technique called spiral CT seems to be the best option for early detection.

Once lung cancer is detected, the next step is to determine the stage it is in. This is done using the AJCC system. Roman numerals are used to mark the different stages of lung cancer, numerals from 0 to IV. Sometimes the stages are further divided into substages, using denotations A and B. The general rule of thumb is that the lower the denomination, the less serious the condition.

Lung Cancer Treatment

Lung cancer treatment options are usually the same as prostate cancer treatment options or colon cancer treatment options. What I mean is that all forms of cancer have the same treatment options. However, lung cancer tests may be different from colon cancer tests. The standard treatment options for lung cancer are:

• Surgery
• Radiation Therapy
• Chemotherapy

What matters is the combination of methods being used. The more serious the cancer, the more chances that different treatment options will be used in tandem, or one after the other.

References

• www.aacr.org
• www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/colon-and-rectal
• www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Lung/General/Typesoflungcancer
• www.cancer.org
• www.lungcanceronline.org

The writer does freelance writing work. Primary areas are keyword-rich articles (especially in healthcare, insurance, credit), creative writing, blogposts, etc.

For more information please visit: www.projectrade.com

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The Truth Behind Metastatic Lung Cancer

By David Silva

Unlike other forms of lung cancer, metastatic lung cancer is the result of a cancer from another part of the body spreading to the lungs. When a malignancy develops in the body (most often in the breasts, colon, prostate, or bladder, though almost all cancers have the ability to spread) it can sometimes spread through the blood stream. When these malignancies settle into the pulmonary tissues, such as the alveoli (the final vein-like branches of the respiratory system) and the supporting tissues of the respiratory structures, the cancer has metastasized to the lungs.

Unfortunately, treating metastatic lung cancer presents significant challenges. Since the cancer has spread from another part of the body, treatment not only involves addressing the cancer in the lungs, but also the original cancer and any other areas of the body that may have also become affected. In some cases, if the primary tumor is successfully removed and if the spread of the tumor cells to the pulmonary regions is relatively localized, then the management of the cancer by surgical techniques may do the job. However, if the metastatic lung cancer is extensive, because so many areas of the body may be under the influence of the cancer, certain treatments (such as surgery, and in many cases, radiation therapy as well) may prove ineffective. Which leaves most patients with chemotherapy as the primary treatment of choice.

Chemotherapy often uses a combination of drugs (often referred to as “anti-cancer” drugs) to kill cancer cells, though a single drug may be used as well. While the aim of these drugs is to stop cancerous cells from multiplying, they also can damage healthy cells. This is what creates the side effects that are often associated with chemotherapy, such as the loss of hair, nausea and vomiting, and fatigue. The good news, however, is that the healthy cells will generally repair themselves once the chemotherapy process is over.

Chemotherapy can provide a cure (when the cancer disappears and does not return) or help to control the cancer (to keep it from spreading and perhaps kill cancerous cells that have already spread to other areas of the body, such as is the case in metastasized lung cancer) or relieve the symptoms of the cancer (to provide the patient with a better quality of life, even in the face of a poor prognosis). How it’s used in any particular situation is dependent upon the type of cancer, the stage of the cancer, the prognosis, and the plan as set out by the patient and his or her physician.

In addition, there are complementary and alternative treatments. These can include everything from proper nutrition to pain management, from spiritual approaches to natural herbs and supplements. Of course, such alternative plans will vary much the same as traditional treatments, depending on the location and size of the tumor, the age and general health of the patient, and other factors.

Metastatic lung cancer is certainly more challenging to overcome than other forms of lung cancer because the fight against the cancerous cells is not confined to the lungs. And while a cure is unlikely in most cases, in rare instances (usually when the primary tumor has been removed and the spread of the cancer has been limited), the lung metastases can be removed surgically, with a prognosis of long-term survival.

Please note that the information provided in this article is for information purposes only. It should not be used during a medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of lung cancer or metastatic lung cancer. Such situations should always involve the expertise of a physician or health care provider.

David Silva is the webmaster for Lung Cancer Insights, a site dedicated to the dissemination of information about lung cancer, mesothelioma, non-small cell lung cancer, and their treatments.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Silva

               

Cytokinetics lung cancer trial fails

San Francisco Business Times - 2:51 PM PST Thursday

Cytokinetics Inc. said Thursday that a clinical trial of ispinesib, an experimental lung cancer treatment, failed.

The South San Francisco drug company (NASDAQ: CYTK) said the Phase II trial, run by GlaxoSmithKline, failed to meet the criteria to advance to the next stage of clinical testing.

The drug had been given to patients with platinum-sensitive non-small cell lung cancer.

Cytokinetics focuses on drugs that work on the cytoskeleton, a structure of protein filaments that give shape to cells.

Published March 30, 2006 by San Francisco Business Times

SOURCE

               

Female nonsmoker: What are your risks for lung cancer?

By Dr. Shalini Mulaparthi
For the Times Herald-Record

The recent death of Dana Reeve from lung cancer at age 44 put a spotlight on a devastating disease whose causes and prevention are frequently misunderstood.

In fact, it’s the very attention being given to the disease that is creating much of the confusion: Whenever circumstances increase the amount of public dialogue surrounding a serious disease, it can become difficult to distinguish between the useful and misguided - or outright false - information.

Lung cancer is, by far, the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States among both men and women.

Smoking is the primary cause, responsible for between 80 percent and 90 percent of diagnoses. If you don’t smoke, you significantly lessen your likelihood of a lung cancer diagnosis.

This indicates, of course, that between 10 percent and 20 percent of lung cancer sufferers are nonsmokers, an alarming statistic to those among us who don’t smoke.

The leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers is, nonetheless, smoking related - second-hand smoke. Nonsmokers who are frequently in close proximity to people who do smoke are at demonstrably heightened risk.

Two other causes are active exposure to radon gas or asbestos. We have made great progress in eliminating asbestos as a building material, but it remains important to regularly test our homes for inappropriate levels of radon gas.

Much of today’s public dialogue surrounds a growing, and controversial, belief that women are more susceptible to lung cancer than men. Certainly, the death of Dana Reeve - a female nonsmoker - has driven much of this speculation.

Yet there exists no scientific data that make a definitive case for this argument. Without knowing anything more about the Dana Reeve case than what has been reported in the media, it would seem logical that her years as a nightclub singer - during which she was likely exposed to extensive second-hand smoke - was a more likely culprit than her gender.

That said, there is indeed growing consideration within the medical community about a specific, gender-driven factor that may contribute to why one nonsmoking woman acquires lung cancer while another one does not.

That factor is hormones. Many medical researchers believe that certain women suffer from a proliferation of abnormal cells that makes them more susceptible to the disease. Research on this potential cause is in progress, and with luck will lead to further understanding of lung cancer’s causes and possible preventions among women.

Recent studies indicate that screenings appear to make little difference in preventing lung cancer. A variety of research that is under way might change this in the near-term, but the current reality is that screenings are not advisable, simply because they’re not especially helpful.

What is helpful?

First and foremost, if you’re a smoker, you can do nothing better for you and those around you than to quit today.

If you, unfortunately, already suffer from lung cancer, exciting new targeted therapies are emerging. These therapies are being researched extensively, and are bringing greater hope every day to people with lung cancer and their families.

Dr. Shalini Mulaparthi is an oncologist with Crystal Run Healthcare in the Town of Wallkill in Orange County and in Rock Hill in Sullivan.

SOURCE

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Early lung cancer detection needed

When Dana Reeve, widow of actor Christopher Reeve, died of lung cancer, the stories of her death pointed out that she didn’t smoke. She was young, only 44; she had nursed her paralyzed husband for eight years; she left a 13-year-old son an orphan. And how could she have gotten lung cancer? She had never smoked.Lung cancer is often preventable, and it is usually fatal.

Unfortunately I will also become a victim of this disease. Not for myself, but a victim because I am a friend of a lung cancer person. One of my very dearest friends will undergo a lung operation this coming Tuesday.

According to the American Lung Association, 87 percent of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. Another 12 percent are linked to radon exposure.

Only 15 percent of people diagnosed with the disease will still be alive five years after the diagnosis; 60 percent die within the first year. What is Chemoprevention? For individuals who demonstrate the greatest risk, researchers are currently conducting several new trials to test the use of natural and synthetic substances to prevent development of the disease. This new research has been coined, chemoprevention. Read more