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What is Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both of the lungs. The body is made up of different types of cells that normally divide and multiply in an orderly way. These new cells replace older cells. This process of cell birth and renewal occurs constantly in the body. Cancer, also known as a malignant growth, occurs when: Some cells in the body begin to multiply in an uncontrolled manner The body's natural defenses, such as certain parts of the immune system, cannot stop the uncontrolled cell division. These abnormal cells become greater and greater in number, and come together to form a tumor, which is a cellular growth that forms a progressively enlarging mass. A tumor is benign - that is, not a cancer - unless it tends to invade surrounding tissues and organs, in which case it is malignant or cancerous. Cancerous tumors grow out of control and can invade, replace, and destroy normal cells near the tumor. In some cases, cancer cells spread to other areas of the body. Lung cancer generally takes many years to develop even though damage to the lungs may occur shortly after a person is exposed to cancer-causing substances. Nice To Know: About The Lungs The air we breathe is taken into the two lungs, situated within the chest. Inside the lungs, oxygen is extracted from the air and carbon dioxide, a waste product from the body, is breathed out. The lungs are cone-shaped and are made up of lobes. The right lung has three lobes and the left lung has two lobes. Inside the lungs are air tubes, called bronchi. The right and left main bronchi come off the main breathing pipe, and then split up into much smaller tubes within each lung. Those, in turn, branch into thousands of very small airways called bronchioles. The chest cavity in which the lungs sit is known as the pleural cavity. The smooth lining that surrounds and protects the lungs, enabling them to smoothly expand and contract as we breathe, is called pleura. Different Types Of Lung Cancer There are different types of cells in the lung, of varying size, for the different functions of the lung. This has resulted in the classification of two main types of lung cancer: Cancer developing from the smaller cells in the lung is known as small-cell lung cancer. Other types of cancers in the lung are known as non-small-cell lung cancer. Some lung cancers are a mixture of both types and are generally called mixed-small-cell/large-cell cancer. The different types of lung cancers tend to grow and spread differently and are therefore not treated in the same way. Non-small-cell lung cancer is the more common type, accounting for about 80% of lung cancers. It is this more common type of lung cancer that grows and spreads more slowly. This less common type of cancer, small-cell cancer, is the type that grows more quickly and has a greater chance of spreading to other parts of the body. Since the more common non-small cell group of cells in the lung are themselves made up of differing kinds of cells, three distinct types of non-small cell lung cancer are recognized. They are: Squamous cell carcinoma, found usually in the central part of the lung. Adenocarcinoma, mostly occurring in the outer part of the lung. Undifferentiated carcinoma, which can occur anywhere in the lung. People with adenocarcinoma have a more favorable outlook. Undifferentiated carcinoma is the least common and has the poorer prognosis. In general, the choice of treatment and the chances of recovery from lung cancer following treatment will depend on: How advanced the cancer is at the time of diagnosis How healthy the person generally is Need To Know: Recognizing The Symptoms The symptoms that may suggest lung cancer are similar to symptoms of other lung conditions that may not be as serious as lung cancer. The main symptoms suggesting lung cancer are: Coughing up blood Coughing that does not seem to improve and gets worse with time Other symptoms may include: Chest pain Shortness of breath Recurrent episodes of pneumonia Weight loss Feeling tired Weight loss and feeling tired can be symptoms of cancer in general. Facts About Lung Cancer Over 80% of all lung cancers are caused directly by smoking. Stopping smoking can reduce the risk for developing lung cancer. Lung cancer is more common in men; they are 25% more likely to develop lung cancer. When initially diagnosed, only about 15% of lung cancers are found to still be in the early stage, while 85% have already spread locally or to more distant sites in the body. The five-year survival rate is approximately 50% in those cases when the cancer is still in the early stage when first diagnosed - but only 15% of lung cancers are discovered this early. In the USA, in 1998, there were about 171,500 new cases of lung cancer, accounting for 14% of all cancer diagnoses. In the USA in 1998, 28% of all cancer deaths were due to lung cancer. Since 1987, more women have died each year of lung cancer than breast cancer. 
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Bully Survey for Students