By livescience.com
The most deadly form of cancer in men and women, lung cancer kills about 60 percent of those diagnosed during the year. And while smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer is sometimes those who have not touched a cigarette. Shops
The claim about 157,000 lives each year - more than breast, prostate, ovarian, combined, colon and lymphatic cancer - lung cancer can also be the result of exposure to tobacco smoke or radon, which his family history, or excessive alcohol consumption According to the Mayo Clinic.
Types
Depending on how the cells appear when examined under a microscope incidence of lung cancer in two main categories:
Small cell, about 20 percent of all cases and covers almost exclusively in smokers and
Small cell lung cancer, which includes many of these different subtypes: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large.
Where are the two main types are called mixed small cell / large cell lung cancer, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
In addition, a very deadly form of cancer known mesothelioma usually occurs in the tissue that surrounds the lungs. Mesothelioma affects mainly those that contain asbestos, a mineral used in insulation, brake, flooring and many other products are, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Signs and symptoms
Early detection of lung cancer is usually asymptomatic, one of the reasons often at step before developing incurable detected. The symptoms of lung disease is similar to many others, making it difficult to distinguish the cause. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these symptoms include:
-Persistent, persistent cough
-Coughing up blood
-Wheezing and shortness of breath
-Stethalgia
-Anorexia
-Hoarseness
-Unexplained weight loss
-Tiredness or weakness
- Swallowing
Diagnosis and Testing
With a stethoscope, doctors sometimes heard around the lungs, lung cancer can provide moisture. However, a definitive diagnosis is usually a combination of different tests, according to the American Cancer Society. They are:
- Imaging techniques such as X-rays, positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the mammary glands.
- Analysis of saliva, which causes a cough expectorant examined for abnormal cells.
- Biopsy, cells are derived, consider the method of tissue sample.
-Bronchoscopy: loop or tubes in the lungs, it can be seen from the tool, called a bronchoscope that doctors can look unusual areas, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Suspect cells can be removed for biopsy.
-Mediastinoscopy Cc: lighted tube is inserted through the sternum to see the center of the chest cavity through a small incision.
Lung cancer is confirmed, the doctor will decide if the malignancy has spread beyond the lungs is the use of full-body scan images. Common sites of metastases in lungs, liver, bone marrow, and in accordance with the Mayo Clinic.
Treatments and drugs
Lung cancer is treated depends largely on the type and size of cells present, and were distributed. The most commonly used combinations of treatments. Common treatments include:
-Operation: If the cancer is confined to the lung can provide surgical treatment. This is usually done with less severe cases, or removing a small portion of lung tissue from or lung. Lymph nodes are removed in order to determine whether the spread of the disease. Around the region
-Chemotherapy: a systems approach to chemotherapy is commonly used in the most advanced cases of toxic drugs to kill in many parts of the body from cancer. These preparations can be used in any form of injections or pellets containing cisplatin (also known under the trade name Platinol) and paclitaxel (Taxol).
-Radiation: This form of therapy is the use of intense beams of energy to destroy cancer cells. Outer target or lung cancer to be placed into the tumor through the needle or catheter tube seeds inside.
-Targeted therapy: One of the latest cancer treatments, this treatment uses certain medications, certain anomalies in the target cells of lung cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic. Drugs used include bevacizumab (Avastin, also known as a trademark), blocks that stopped new blood supply and erlotinib (Tarceva), which they say is chemically blocked, the cancer cells to multiply.