Lung cancer – types, morbidity, risk factors. How does lung cancer develop and how is it diagnosed?

Proven content

Lung cancer is a disease of the uncontrolled growth of malignant neoplastic cells in the lung tissue and can be caused by many environmental carcinogens, particularly tobacco smoke. According to the World Health Organization, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths in both men and women.

Lung cancer – prevalence and morbidity

According to WHO data, there are over 2 million new cases of the disease in the world every year. According to the National Cancer Registry, in Poland there are currently approx. 23 thousand diagnoses. patients per year. Most patients develop symptoms of lung cancer when their disease is severely advanced, making the lung cancer difficult to treat. Doctors say that cancer can develop “silently” for up to 10 years before the patient notices symptoms.

Lung cancer types

There are two main types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for nearly 80% of the all cases. It is important to distinguish between NSCLC and SCLC as the two types of cancer are treated differently.

There are three types of NSCLC: adenocarcinoma (adenocarcinoma), squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. Adenocarcinoma, which accounts for 40 percent. all lung cancers are more common in women. Squamous cell carcinoma, less common and accounting for 25% of all cases of lung cancer are more common in men and the elderly. The rarest type of lung cancer is large cell carcinoma, which accounts for only 10 percent. In lung cancer cases, compared with other types of lung cancer, it grows faster and spreads faster in the lungs.

Lung cancer risk factors

The most important risk factor for lung cancer is smoking (a cause of nine out of ten cases). The risk of developing the disease also increases due to passive smoking, the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the duration of the addiction. Other factors are exposure to asbestos and radon gases, scarring from a previous lung disease (e.g. tuberculosis), a family history of lung cancer, and previous cancer treatment. Air pollution also has an impact, although it is difficult to predict how many cases can be associated with it.

See also: Do ​​you think you smoke little? You’re damaging your lungs more than you think

Lung cancer development stages

After lung cancer is diagnosed, a specialist physician determines the extent or stage of the disease. Various methods are used to determine the stage of cancer, such as surgery, computed tomography (CT), nuclear magnetic resonance (MRI). In non-small cell lung cancer, the following stages are distinguished:

1. Latent – cancer cells are present in lung sections but cannot be detected by any imaging methods or bronchoscopy
2. Stage 0 – The tumor is found in limited areas and consists of several layers of cells
3. Stage I – the tumor is confined to the lung and surrounded by healthy lung tissue
4. Stage II – the tumor includes lymph nodes near the cavities or bronchi
5. Stage III – the cancer has spread to the chest wall, diaphragm, or other organs or blood vessels near the lungs, or to the lymph nodes in the mediastinum, nodes on the other side of the chest or neck. Stage IIIA means that the tumor can be treated surgically, while stage IIIB is an inoperable stage.
6. Stage IV – the cancer has spread to other organs.

Diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer

There are no common symptoms of lung cancer. The most common are:

1. a cough that increases or does not go away with treatment for a respiratory infection
2. pain in the chest
3. coughing up bloody sputum, blood
4. wheezing, shortness of breath, hoarseness
5. recurrent and long-lasting, more than 3-4 weeks despite treatment, bronchitis or pneumonia
6. swelling of the face or neck
7. loss of appetite, weight loss
8. fatigue, apathy.

During the course of the disease, one or more of the symptoms listed above may appear simultaneously. As the disease gets worse, usually the number of symptoms increases.

The lump compresses large blood vessels near the lungs can cause swelling in the neck and face. If the tumor presses on certain nerves that pass near the lungs, it can cause pain and weakness in the shoulders, arms, or hands. Lung cancer patients may also have symptoms that seem unrelated to the lungs. As with all cancers, lung cancer can cause weakness, loss of appetite and weight loss.

In order to successfully fight lung cancer, the following should be used:

1. Primary prophylaxis – preventing the development of lung cancer, i.e. fighting the addiction to smoking!
2. Secondary prevention – detection of early stages of cancer by:

1. Periodic chest X-ray examinations
2. Cytological examination of sputum
3. Computed tomography

It is worth using appropriate supplementation during the treatment of lung cancer and after the end of treatment. Order OncoLife Defense Bioactive Complex – Doctor Life dietary supplement supporting the functioning of the immune system and inhibiting mutagenic processes of cells.

This may interest you: Have you noticed such changes on your face? It could be lung cancer

Treatment methods for lung cancer

Diagnosing and treating people with lung cancer can be complicated because the disease is easily spread through the lymphatic (lymphatic) system. There are currently three standard treatments for lung cancer: surgery (surgery), radiation (radiotherapy), and chemotherapy. Depending on the type of cancer, stage, general health, and age of the patient, one or more methods may be used. Both surgery (surgery) and radiation therapy can cure lung cancer patients if the tumor is localized (has not spread to any of the surrounding tissues).

In advanced non-small cell lung cancer, chemotherapy is the first-line treatment. It can be used with or without radiotherapy, depending on the patient’s situation. Chemotherapy usually consists of two drugs.

If the patient fails to respond to first-line treatment or if the cancer recurs, second-line treatment should be started. Commonly used second-line treatments include drugs such as docetaxel, pemetrexed, and carlin.

Moreover, in addition to the drugs used in traditional chemotherapy, in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer, targeted therapies are used, allowing for the effectiveness comparable with chemotherapy, but without side effects and with additional benefits resulting from the convenience of use.

Also read:

1. This is what the lungs of a smoker with cancer look like, and so healthy. Scary? Understatement
2. This is the most common type of cancer in Poland. 2020 is the year of lung cancer
3. How not to get lung cancer?
4. Neoplastic changes in the respiratory system

For a long time you have not been able to find the cause of your ailments or are you still looking for it? Do you want to tell us your story or draw attention to a common health problem? Write to the address [email protected] #Together we can do more