Feb 13 2008
Clearing the Air about Lung Cancer
Have you ever asked, “What is lung cancer?” Lung cancer is what happens when cells grow uncontrollably in one or both lungs. When these cells grow they may become tumors that actually inhibit the normal functions of the lungs so that they cannot perform their job of oxygenating the blood. There are essentially two types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Asbestos lung cancer is a different type of lung cancer that is the direct result of asbestos exposure.
Lung cancer history show it to be the primary killer in the US among cancer related deaths. When taking into account the facts about lung cancer it is important to note that lung cancer kills more in the US than breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer combined with women making up about half of the lung cancer related deaths.
Lung cancer symptoms include: persistent and intense smoker’s cough, chest, shoulder, or back pain that is not related to the pain caused by smoking, wheezing, excessive instances of bronchitis or pneumonia, blood in sputum, increased sputum as well as changes in the color of or blood in the sputum. Of course there are other symptoms of lung cancer that may indicate that the cancer has in fact spread to other areas of the body. These signs of lung cancer may include body aches, headaches, blood clots, bleeding, excessive pain, or excessive weakness. End stage lung cancer may have different symptoms and signs all together depending on the case.
Taking steps to prevent lung cancer is becoming more and more popular among people as we are learning more about this deadly disease and the various causes of lung cancer. For those interested in learning how to prevent lung cancer the following steps are a good place to begin. Stop smoking. Avoid second hand smoke. Limit exposure to potential irritants and causes in the workplace. Eat your fruits and veggies. While taking these steps will not guarantee that you will never experience the effects of lung cancer they can lower the probabilities. Though many people feel that lung cancer pictures are proper motivation to try some or all of these suggestions. If you haven’t seen pictures of lung cancer and what it can do to your lungs perhaps you should take a moment to do so, especially if you are doing things that increase your risks.
Common lung cancer treatments include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery or a combination of two or all three. It is best that you carefully discuss the best lung cancer treatment options with your doctor to determine which is best for your specific treatment needs.
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