Information and Often Submitted Inquiries About Lung Cancer

For answers to your questions and facts about lung cancer, read on for details about causes of the disease, how it's treated and how it can be prevented.

Is there more than one type of lung cancer?

There are two types of lung cancer - non-small cell and small cell lung cancer. The two types are distinguishable because of how the cancer cells expand, grow and spread throughout the body.

There are three types of non-small cell lung cancer (the most common form of lung cancer). They are adenocarcinoma, squamus cell carcinoma, and large-cell carcinoma. Though rarer, small cell lung cancer occurs in approximately a quarter of all people diagnosed with lung cancer.

Can I prevent lung cancer?

There are three ways to prevent lung cancer - quit smoking, avoid second-hand smoke and stay away from air-borne carcinogens at work. If you're concerned about your risk of developing lung cancer, avoiding tobacco smoke is typically your best defense.

What are the major causes of lung cancer?

The primary cause of lung cancer in most cases is smoking tobacco products. Of all the facts about lung cancer, this is the most critical and apparent. The carcinogens in tobacco smoke will damage cells. Other causes include exposure to carcinogens like asbestos or radon. Genetics may also play a role in the prevalence of the disease.

How do doctors detect lung cancer?

The early stages of lung cancer typically don't exhibit any symptoms. The only sure-fire way to detect the disease is with a chest X-ray.

For a confident diagnosis, a biopsy is required. When a doctor performs a biopsy, he or she removes a small amount of tissue from the lung to test it for cancerous cells.

Does lung cancer have any symptoms?

Most lung cancer symptoms don't appear until after the disease has reached the later stages. That said, the symptoms include constant coughing or wheezing, loss of appetite, chest pains, upper abdomen pains, bronchitis or pneumonia, blood being coughed up, general fatigue, a persistent hoarse voice and a dry, sore throat.

Can lung cancer be treated and how?

Lung cancer can be treated, but the treatments will depend on how far advanced the disease has progressed, the patient's strength and the type of lung cancer. Lung cancer is typically treated with one of - or a combination of - chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery.

Is mesothelioma a type of lung cancer?

Mesothelioma is a rare form of lung cancer that is typically caused by asbestos exposure. The disease attacks the delicate skin lining of the lungs, and tumors form.

Are men or women more at risk?

Female smokers are twice as likely to develop lung cancer than male smokers.

I'm older and a smoker, will quitting really help me?

Yes, quitting at any age can help prevent lung cancer. The risk of developing lung cancer is reduced dramatically each year a person smokes - whether that person is 20 or 70. Of all the facts about lung cancer, probably the most saddening is that the majority of cases are preventable.

Skin Cancer Treatment

A survey of the American Cancer Society says that three out of every four
American families have at least one family member diagnosed with cancer. A cancer diagnosis affects not only the cancer patient, but also their family, friends & co-workers. Any kind of relationship with a cancer patient should provide them with some amount of support, proving you to be an understanding person, who is able to appreciate their situation.

A cancer diagnosis can be a real crisis; everything seems to going in a haphazard way. There is also a need to provide a superficial feeling of ‘the helping hand’, as you struggle to comprehend your own feelings. Escorting a cancer patient to navigate the maze of details like finding an oncologist, understanding their treatment options, furnishing health updates etc are a few of the important functions that you ought to perform.

Below are some tips to help you cope when someone you love is diagnosed with cancer:

• One way to keep the mind free from being vulnerable and besieged is to offer support. Taking things in a pragmatic way such as driving them to treatments or doctors’ appointments, running errands, baby-sitting, doing household work etc helps a lot. Ask them what they are most concerned about not being able to do.

• Some questions posed at the doctor if and when you accompany your loved one to their appointments will definitely not go amiss.

• Don’t get startled if any change occurs in their behavior and mood.

Cancer medications, sickness, and stress can cause your loved one to become arrogant or morose. For example: - Generally this kind of behavior is seen in skin cancer patients. So you need to maintain some amount of tolerance while dealing with a cancer patient.

• Keep them as active and independent as possible, which will help your loved one to regain a sense of confidence and control over their life.

• Be practical and realistic in terms of daily requirements. Get enough sleep, eat properly, and take some time off for yourself, because you will not be able to work in times of help or need if you are exhausted and sick.

Take care of yourself and your needs; it will be easier to meet the needs of your loved one.

• Ask other family members and friends to help. They will appreciate the opportunity to do so.

• Maintain a positive attitude.

• Accept that there are things that are beyond your control.

• Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of fuming, being belligerent or passive.

• Fight stress, learn to relax. Exercise regularly.

• Avoid confrontation; feel at ease with their answers.

Join a support group for friends and families of cancer patients.

Remember that you are not alone if someone you love is diagnosed with cancer. You are likely to experience a conflicting range of emotions, including disbelief, anger, relief, worry and even guilt. Fears of mortality, puzzling family roles, having your own needs met, and uncertainty about the future can surface when your loved one is diagnosed with cancer. These are customary feelings which may prove to be a problem. It will hence be beneficial to talk to others who are undergoing the same problems. These were some common points led down by American cancer society.