Lung cancer is a common type of cancer that affects the cells of the lungs. The lungs are two identical organs located in the chest that are responsible for processing the oxygen which is inhaled and converting it into carbon dioxide, which is the exhaled.

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2. Lung Cancer – An overview
• Lung cancer is a common type of cancer that affects the cells of the lungs. The lungs are two identical organs located in the chest
that are responsible for processing the oxygen which is inhaled and converting it into carbon dioxide, which is the exhaled.
• Lung cancer today is amongst the leading fatal cancers all around the world. People who have a habit of excessive smoking of
cigarettes are at more risk of developing lung cancer.
• Symptoms
• Lung cancer might not exhibit noticeable signs or symptoms in the initial stages. Most lung cancer signs and symptoms are
noticed when the disease has advanced to an extensive state.
• These are the commonly seen signs and symptoms of lung cancer:
• Constant coughing
• Changed chronic/smoker’s cough
• Coughing up blood (even small amounts)
• Angina (chest pain)
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Hoarseness
• Unwanted weight loss
• Headache
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3. Causes
• These are the generally known causes that increase the risk of causing lung cancer:
• Smoking – Smoking tobacco products has been determined to be the leading cause of lung cancer
by numerous research and studies. Constant exposure to tobacco smoke has also been found to
increase the risk of lung cancer in a person.
• Radon exposure – Prolonged exposure to radon gas can also raise the risk of developing lung
cancer in a person. Radon gas is emitted naturally from soil, water and rocks due to natural
degradation of uranium in them. The radon gas eventually becomes a part of the breathable air.
Unsafe levels of radon gas often develop in improperly ventilated buildings and homes.
• Asbestos exposure/other carcinogens – Often, certain industries require a person to be exposed
to asbestos and similar other carcinogenic agents (such as nickel, chromium, arsenic, etc) for
longer periods of time. This causes development of lung cancer in the person.
• Heredity – Certain people can develop lung cancer due to an abnormality in their genes in which
lung cancer can often become a hereditary disorder.
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4. Stages
• The lung cancer is classified into several stages according to the area it has spread (metastasized)
to. CT scans, MRI scans and PET tests are helpful in determining the extent of spread of the lung
cancer, into and outside the affected lung.
• These are the different stages of lung cancer:
• Stage 1 – Cancer cells are limited to lung only. Tumor size is normally less than 2 inches.
• Stage 2 – Cancer has grown larger and is more than 2 inches and the tumor may also have spread
to nearby tissue (including chest wall, diaphragm or the inner lining (pleura) of the lungs. Cancer
at this stage may or may not affect nearby lymph nodes.
• Stage 3 – Cancer has spread to nearby tissues and affected surrounding organs. Tumor is
comparatively larger in size and affects even the lymph nodes significantly away from the cancer-
affected lungs.
• Stage 4 – Cancer is seen to have spread to the other lung and the nearby tissues and organs
extensively.
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5. Types
• The lung cancers are divided into two major types according to the appearance of the cancer cells
under close observation. The classification of the lung cancer into its proper type allows
determining the best treatment options for the particular case.
• These are the types of lung cancers that are seen:
• Small cell lung cancer – Small cell lung cancer is most often seen developing in smokers who have
a habit smoking habit. It is less common in non-smokers.
• Non small cell lung cancer – This is a term used to collectively describe numerous types of
similarly characterized lung cancers. These may include large cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and
squamous cell carcinoma.
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6. Diagnosis
• There are several diagnostic tests that are useful for determining the presence, type and stage
(spread) of lung cancer most effectively, including:
• Annual screening tests – These consists of a number of imaging diagnostic tests designed to
screen for lung cancer efficiently. These annual tests are highly recommended for people with a
higher risk for developing lung cancer, such as heavy smokers. The doctor performs a CT
(computerized tomography) scan to check the lung cells for cancerous growth.
• Imaging tests – X-rays, CT scans, etc an help reveal the inner lining tissue of the lungs clearly and
check for abnormal growths.
• Sputum cytology – In case the cough is releasing sputum, a microscopic analysis of the sputum
can help determine the presence of cancer cells in it.
• Biopsy – The doctor will surgically remove a small portion of the suspected cancerous tissue to
perform detailed analysis in a pathological laboratory.
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7. Treatment
• There are several ways and methods that lung cancers are treated. One of the main factors that
determine the type of lung cancer treatment is the type and stage of lung cancer, along with
other factors, such as the patient’s age, overall health status, underlying medical conditions, etc.
• These are the types of lung cancer treatments:
• Surgery – In this, the surgeon will use several methods to remove the cancer-affected part of the
lungs along with a margin of the surrounding healthy tissue. The surgeon may use wedge
resection, segmental resection, lobotomy or Pneumonectomy to perform the surgical treatment
of lung cancer.
• Chemotherapy – In this, the surgeon uses specially designed medicinal drugs to destroy the
cancer cells. The drugs are administered intravenously (IV) or orally. A combination of such drugs
is administered to disable the nutrition supply of the cancerous cells in the lungs in order to
destroy them naturally. This therapy is often used to shrink (decrease) the size of the tumor in the
lung for easier surgical removal.
• Radiotherapy – Also known as radiation therapy, this treatment uses highly-precise and powerful
beams of laser to target the cancer cells and destroy them by generating intense heat. This
process is often used after surgical removal to ensure that every trace of the cancerous cells have
been removed from the lung.
• Targeted drug therapy – In this, the surgeon will use special medicinal drugs that are designed to
target certain abnormalities in the cancer cells. This therapy is mostly used in combination with
chemotherapy for optimum results.
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