Published on August 1st, 2013 | by Tom0
Lung Cancer Stages, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Nowadays, more people start to be affected by this disease, emphasizing that it’s the high time for everyone to learn more about this dreaded disease.
Read More: Type & Statistics of Lung Cancer
Causes of lung cancer
Lung cancer is known to have two major causes. First is carcinogen. Carcinogen is the term used for substances that alter DNA structures and trigger it to develop cancer cells. Carcinogens can be found in a wide array of items like tobacco, arsenic, solutions used for radiation, and a lot more. Experts’ accounts indicate that more than 80% of lung cancer cases are due to carcinogens in tobacco, whether they are obtained through first or second hand smoke.
Another factor that causes lung cancer is genetics. Experts cite that people who have family history of lung cancer may also have the chance to develop this cancer or other types. This is due to their genetic make-up that possesses high chances of genetic mutation, which can be inherited by younger generations.
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Symptoms of lung cancers
Many people don’t immediately detect lung cancer because its initial symptoms are often similar to other pulmonary problems. Here are some of the symptoms:
- Coughing that is either intense and persistent in nature
- Breathing difficulty
- Chronic bronchitis
- Pain along the back and shoulder area when coughing
- Presence of blood in the sputum or coughing out blood
You must also remember that symptoms of lung cancer may initially appear related to some pulmonary problems. Once cancer spreads, patients will also experience other symptoms depending on the affected organ.
Lung cancer stages
There are generally four stages of lung cancer, which directly affect the treatment options to offer for patients.
- Stage I. Cancer cells or tumor has not spread outside the lungs.
- Stage II. Lymph nodes near the affected lung or lobe are started to be affected by cancer.
- Stage III. This stage is divided into IIIa and IIIb. In III a, cancer cells can now be found in lymph nodes surrounding the chest cavity and wall, trachea and diaphragm. In IIIb, malignant cells start to affect the lymph nodes around the neck area or the other lung.
- Stage IV. In this stage, cancer has already metastasize in other organs.
Lung cancer treatment comes in various types and may be combined together depending on the patient’s cancer stage.
Surgery is the famous way of removing cancer cells. The tumor as well as the surrounded tissue will be excised. Of course, it would be impossible to completely remove cancer cells, so physicians will recommend other treatment options to completely eliminate these cells like chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy has been a famous solution for different types of cancer. Patient will be subjected to strong doses of chemotherapy drugs with the goal of eliminating cancer cells. Radiation therapy, on the other hand, incorporates strong rays for cancer elimination. Both therapies have their side effects that should be discussed with the patient to set their expectation.
Overall, lung cancer cases continue to increase by several percentages each year. Better to understand what this disease is to receive immediate testing and treatment.