Lung Cancer

Symptoms and treatment of lung cancer

The chief cause of lung cancer is smoking. Other risk factors in developing lung cancer are second-hand smoke, air pollution and exposure to cancer-causing materials like asbestos, among others. But not smoking is the best way to help protect yourself against developing lung cancer.

Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small cell lung cancer is a type of cancer rarely seen in non-smokers, since smoking has been determined to be its direct cause. This disease typically starts in the bronchii with small cancer cells, but grows more quickly and spreads faster than non-small cell lung cancer, so large tumors can develop rapidly. Non-small cell lung cancer doesn’t grow or spread as quickly, but left untreated it can still spread to the brain, liver and bones, as well as destroying lung tissue. Small cell lung cancer is a little more common in men than women.

Lung Cancer Symptoms

Both types of lung cancer can grow virtually undetected in the beginning, because often early stages of lung cancer show no symptoms. Once the cancer begins growing, though, the symptoms are common for both types:

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Bloody sputum
• Coughing up blood
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Difficulty swallowing

Other lung cancer symptoms like fever, facial swelling, nail and joint problems, unexplained hoarseness and changes in voice usually occur when the disease has advanced.

Lung Cancer Treatment

The treatment generally depends on what kind of lung cancer has been diagnosed. Small cell lung cancer is rarely treated with surgery, because usually by the time the disease is diagnosed the cancer has already spread. Those with a localized tumor may benefit from surgery, but chemotherapy is usually necessary to halt the spreading of the disease. Often radiation to the head is given in an attempt to keep the lung cancer from spreading to the brain.

Non-small cell lung cancer can be treated in a variety of ways. Surgery can remove the tumor or tumors or the entire lung, radiation therapy can be used to shrink a tumor or kill any remaining cells after surgery. Chemotherapy is often used alone or in addition to these methods. Laser therapy and photodynamic therapy are also used as lung cancer treatment.