Lung Cancer

Today, we directly start from prevention rather than symptoms about Lung cancer prevention, symptoms, cure. Prevention is cure to any disease.

Prevention

QUIT SMOKING. STOP!.

Cigarette smoke is THE major cause of lung cancer (primary carcinoma of the lung).

If you are a non-smoker, speak up for a smoke-free environment at home, work and public places.

Don't smoke - smoking increases your risk from many occupational exposures.

Lung Cancer Treatment

Treatment for lung cancer will vary from person to person depedending on a variety of factors:

Current health

Type, size and location of cancer

Whether or not tumor has spread

The most effective treatment plans for lung cancer related to smoking normally start with an action plan to quit smoking.

Quitting removes the major cause of the cancer and makes both treatment and prevention of new cancer development more effective.

Quit smoking products and aids can help: Zyban, Nicotine Replacemnt Therapy(NRT), Smoke-No-More - New nicotine mouthwash and spray that kills the pleasure in smoking. Stops smoking instantly! As seen on TV.

After quitting smoking, standard curative treatment is the next step. These are: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of these methods, called combination therapy.

Surgery

Surgery is generally used in limited stages of disease and may cure lung cancer by removing the tumour and relieving it's symptoms. The extent of the surgery may involve removing part of a lobe, a whole lobe, or the entire lung.

Some tumors cannot be removed because of their size or location.

Radiation Therapy

This is a form of external x-ray that kills cancer cells. It is used to relieve pain and tumour symptoms and eliminate or decrease the size of the tumor itself.

Chemotherapy is the use of medication, to decrease the size of tumor or eliminate cancer. Treatment may be in the form of pills, injections or catheter (drip).

The end result of these treatments is largely beneficial. Unfortunately there are likely to be side effects. You should consult your doctor to see which are most likely to affect you.

Symptoms

When symptoms occur, lung cancer is often advanced. Signs include:

Chronic cough

Persistent cough

Chest pain

Coughing up blood

An increase in mucous production

Wheezing (Noisy breathing)

Shortness of breath

Bronchitis

Hoarseness

Pneumonia

Weight loss & loss of appetite

If you smoke or have been a smoker you are in a high risk category. Bear in mind these are also characteristic signs of many other lung problems. So the best advice would be to see a doctor to find out the cause.

Lung cancer can be readily identified by a simple chest x-ray, or a more specialised type of x-ray known as a CT scan. So if you are concerned, ASK for one.

When you go for a doctor's examination, you are likely to be asked many questions about your medical history, including questions about possible exposure to hazardous substances. Other leading causes of lung cancer are work related exposures - through substances like asbestos, uranium, arsenic, and certain petroleum products.

Further tests and biopsies (samples taking) may be necessary. For example is you are experiencing increased mucuos production.

If cancer is found, it may not always be curable, but every cancer is treatable. If left untreated however, it can spread to the brain, liver, bone, and lymph nodes.