Butt Out To Kick Cancer

Cells are the building blocks of life. We understand very well that cells grow, divide, and multiply with the need of the body to keep it hale and healthy. Occasionally the cells will divide among themselves even though there is no need to multiply, and the mass of extra cells forms tumor or cancer. An unchecked and rapid growth of lung cells is called lung cancer. Lung cancer can be caught in two forms, non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer has been categorized based upon the morphology of the cells as seen under a microscope. Each type of the lung cancer has its own method of treatment since they spread in different ways.

The regularly occurring lung cancer is non-small lung cancer, which grows and spreads slowly. The three major kinds of non-small cell lung cancer are large cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.

Small cell lung cancer is not as prevalent as non-small lung cancer. This type of lung cancer spreads rapidly and may grow to affect other organs in the body. Oat cell cancer is another term used to describe this disease.

Recently lung cancer has been recognized as the deadliest form of cancer in many developed nations, including the USA where 170,000 people die from the disease each year. Even though lung changes start almost immediately upon exposure to carcinogens, lung cancer takes years together to develop.

Inhaling the carcinogens found in cigarette smoke is the main cause of the lung in smokers and non-smokers alike. When there is an environmental exposure to radon compounded with smoking, the risk of lung cancer greatly increases. There is another type of lung cancer, known as mesothelioma, an occupational hazard among people who work around asbestos.

Most people affected by lung cancer are over the age of fifty and are long-term smokers. Symptoms can vary depending upon the location of the tumor within the lungs. Some common symptoms include chronic cough, chest pain, wheezing, and recurring lung infections.

An experienced health care professional can diagnose lung cancer based on symptoms, smoking history, medical history, earlier family history of lung cancer, and exposure to occupational and environmental materials. After the initial tests, an X-Ray can be used to make an affirmative diagnosis. Different tests are available to diagnose small cell or non-small lung cancer and to gauge the stage of the cancer. Medical professionals are also able to confirm whether the cancer is localized within the lung or has spread to other parts of the body.

Treatment of lung cancer may be done by chemotherapy (cancer cells can be eliminated by medications), radiation therapy (eliminating the cancer cells by high-dose X-rays or other high-energy rays), or surgery (cancer removal). Treatment of advanced stage lung cancer is considered difficult with moderate success rate in early stage treatment.

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you smoke, protect yourself from lung cancer by butting out for good. If you quit smoking now, you can gradually decrease your risk of cancer over the next 10 to 15 years as your lungs recover.