Lung Cancer Resources

Lung cancer is the most common cancer all over the world. The researchers have found that smoking is the main cause of lung cancer. The more you smoke the more you become a candidate for the lung cancer. Other causes of lung cancer are radiation, asbestos exposure and sometimes the cancer cells invade as a result of some other cancer in the body.

There are common symptoms of lung cancer. A persistent cough which does not respond to common medication and gets worse over time is one of the symptoms. Constant chest pain and coughing up blood may indicate the presence of cancer. The patient may experience shortness of breath and may experience wheezing. The patient may suffer repeatedly from pneumonia or bronchitis. He may experience loss of appetite and weight. The neck and the face may be swollen and the patient may feel fatigued through out the day.

There are two types of lung cancer. One is called small cell lung cancer and the second one is non-small cell lung cancer. This classification is based on the appearance of the cells under the microscope. Another important aspect is the cells grow and spread differently so the treatment depends on what type of cancer you have.

The researchers have found out that the small cell lung cancer cells grow much more rapidly. This type of cancer is mainly caused by cigarette smoking. This type of cancer may spread to other body parts more quickly.

Non-small cell lung cancer on the other hand is found in non smokers. This is the most common cancer found in people.If you are coughing up blood and have persistent chest pain you should immediately go to the doctor and get medical attentions. The health care provider may ask you questions and if the need be a chest x-ray will be taken but if the symptoms are severe then you will be asked to go in for CT scan or MRI of the chest. These tests show the lung in three dimensions so it becomes easy to locate and see the location and the size of the tumor.

Sputum testing is the simple test to detect the cancer. Bronchoscopy is another test performed to diagnose the presence of cancer in lungs.Like any other cancer treatment depends on the type of cancer and the physical condition of the patient. Lung cancer is also treated by chemotherapy and radiation.