Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a type of cancer that starts as a growth of cells in the lungs.

People who smoke have the greatest risk of lung cancer. Quitting smoking greatly reduces the chance of developing lung cancer. People who have never smoked can also develop lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths.

Causes of lung cancer

Lung cancer is caused by cells that continue to divide when they should not.

Cancer cells develop mutations that cause them to multiply, forming tumors and possibly getting into your bloodstream or lymph nodes.

While it’s unclear exactly why some people develop cancer and others do not, there are certain factors that put you at higher risk for lung cancer.

Lung cancer risk factors

Many factors can contribute to risk for lung cancer. The biggest factor for lung cancer is smoking.

• Risk factors for lung cancer include:
• Smoking tobacco
• Secondhand tobacco smoke
• Exposure to harmful substances
• Having radiation treatment in the chest
• Family history of lung cancer

Common symptoms of lung cancer

Usually, lung cancer does not show symptoms in its early stages.

Some symptoms of lung cancer can be similar to symptoms of common respiratory conditions.

Symptoms of lung cancer include:

• Persistent or worsening cough: While many coughs are due to common causes, a persistent cough or a cough that worsens or changes can be a sign of lung cancer.
• Coughing up blood: Even a small amount of blood in your cough can be a sign of a serious problem like lung cancer.
• Shortness of breath: Shortness of breath (dyspnea) is a common symptom of lung cancer or cancer that has spread to the lungs.
• Pain in the chest: You may feel pain in your chest when breathing deeply, coughing or laughing.
• Unexpected weight loss: Weight loss may occur at any stage of the disease and is usually significant.
• Swollen veins in the neck: This can be a sign of lung cancer and is due to a condition called superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS), where a tumor presses on the large vein (superior vena cava) that carries blood from the head and arms back to the heart. This may also cause swelling in the face.

Types of lung cancer

There are two main types of lung cancer. The best choice of treatment depends on which type of lung cancer a person has.

The two major types of lung cancer are:

• Small cell lung cancer: Small cell lung cancer is usually only found in people who have smoked heavily for many years. It is less common than non-small cell lung cancer
• Non-small cell lung cancer: Non-small cell lung cancer is a category that includes many types of lung cancer. Adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma are all types of non-small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer stages

Cancer staging is a way to measure cancer. Cancer staging usually depends on the size of the tumor, how deep it goes and if it has spread to lymph nodes or other organs.

Lung cancer staging:

• Stage 0: At Stage 0, the tumor is very small, and cells haven’t spread into the deeper lung tissues or outside of the lungs. This stage is often asymptomatic.
• Stage I: In Stage I, cancer is in the lung tissues but not lymph nodes. Cough and difficulty breathing may manifest.
• Stage II: Patients with Stage II lung cancer may have cancer in their lymph nodes near the lungs. Cough and difficulty breathing can advance and worsen with this and higher stages.
• Stage III: At Stage III, lung cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes and the middle of the chest. Pain, weight loss, and coughing up blood manifest. Other symptoms like fatigue and swelling advance.
• Stage IV: The cancer in Stage IV has spread widely around the body, including the brain, bones, or liver. All the previous symptoms have advanced.

Lung cancer treatment

The best treatment for lung cancer depends on its stage and type. Lung cancer may require a combination of different treatment methods.

Treatments for lung cancer include:

• Surgery
• Radiation
• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted therapy