When malignant cells proliferate in the lung, lung cancer results. The lining of the bronchi or alveoli is typically where the aberrant growth of the malignant cells begins. The lungs’ alveoli are microscopic sacs that facilitate oxygen inhalation. The tubes that deliver air to your lungs are called bronchi.
The extensions of these cells may take place to alveoli at the terminal end of the bronchi or directly to bronchioles at some later stages which are even smaller in relation to bronchi. Further, advanced lung cancer would have an ability to be spread over the blood system, to lymph nodes and even tissue around the body.
American Cancer Society. Lung cancer: what is it?
Early-stage lung cancer may not present noticeable symptoms. In the late stages, you might experience trouble breathing, persistent coughing, or even blood in your cough. The kind of cancer, its stage, and the size and location of the tumor affect treatment.
The third most common form of cancer in the US is lung cancer. It strikes an estimated 230,000 patients annually. Each year, more than 130,000 people die from the disease, accounting for more than 25% of the annual deaths due to cancer.
The major risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. Stopping smoking can reduce your risks, doctors advise you on that. Smoking can cause your condition to worsen pretty quickly after you get lung cancer. Quitting is one of the most challenging habits to break. However, other lifestyle changes can prove beneficial while you try cutting back on tobacco use.
Types of Lung Cancer
Physicians categorize lung cancer into either non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or small cell lung cancer (SCLC). NSCLC tends to spread more slowly than SCLC.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for around 80% to 85% of all cases. There are three major types of NSCLC: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma is the most common form of lung cancer. Smokers are held responsible for almost 90% of all NSCLC cases. It is also the most common form of lung cancer in non-smokers.
MedlinePlus. Non-small cell lung cancer.
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
SCLC accounts for approximately 15% of all lung cancer diagnoses. Tobacco use almost always causes SCLC.
SCLC can spread to your brain, liver, and bones rapidly. There are two types of SCLC: small-cell carcinoma (oat cell cancer) and combined small-cell lung carcinoma, which is rare.
Lung Cancer Symptoms
Lung cancer can happen without any signs or symptoms in its early stages. A healthcare provider may discover cancer by chance, such as when you get a chest X-ray for another reason, before you have any symptoms.
Symptoms generally appear once lung cancer has reached an advanced stage. Most people experience chest-related symptoms, including
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood
- Hoarse voice
- Recurring infections (such as bronchitis and pneumonia)
- Cough that doesn’t go away or worsens
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
Lung cancer can metastasize to other parts of the body. Symptoms may include.
- Bone pain
- Fatigue and weakness
- Headache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Unexplained weight loss
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes if the cancer has spread to the liver.
What Causes Lung Cancer?
Your genes sometimes raise your risk of lung cancer. Genetic changes, or mutations, can cause healthy cells to grow and multiply too quickly.
Mutations primarily arise from lifestyle and environmental factors. The leading cause is long-term smoking. Those who smoke might be up to 30 times more likely to suffer from lung cancer than those who are nonsmokers.
Risk Factors
Smoking is not the only cause of lung cancer. Other risk factors may include.
American Cancer Society. Lung cancer risk factors.
- Arsenic in drinking water
- Beta-carotene supplements Exposure to radon, radiation, air pollution, and certain chemicals like asbestos
- Family history of lung cancer
- Secondhand smoke
How is Lung Cancer Diagnosed?
A healthcare provider might ask about your lifestyle habits if they suspect you to have lung cancer. Probably, they would ask some questions about your medical history, and they might do some physical examination.
A healthcare provider can confirm or exclude lung cancer by performing tests. A healthcare provider often uses more than one type of test in making an official diagnosis of lung cancer.
Some common diagnostic tools are.
- Bone scan: This test can check if cancer cells have spread to your bones.
- Bronchoscopy: This test is a common procedure for taking a biopsy of your lungs and helps a health care provider look for tumors or obstructions in your airways.
- Imaging tests: Chest X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, or PET scans take pictures of your lungs to see if cancer cells are present.
- Needle or core biopsy: In this test, a doctor uses a needle to remove a sample from your lung tissue to check if there are cancer cells.
- Sputum cytology: Your health care provider will ask you to cough up a sample of the mucus and test the mucus for the presence of cancer cells.
- Thoracentesis: This procedure involves removing fluid around your lungs to help find the cause of your fluid accumulation in the lungs.
Stages of Lung Cancer
If you are diagnosed with lung cancer, a health care professional will stage the disease. The stages of NSCLC are:
- Stage 0: This is also known as carcinoma in situ (CIS). Stage 0 is the least advanced form of NSCLC. Cancer cells start to grow in the lining of the alveoli or airways but do not penetrate the lung tissues.
- Stage I: The tumor in your lung is less than 3 centimeters (cm) in diameter. Cancer cells have not spread to the lymph nodes or other body parts.
- Stage II: The tumor may be larger than 3 cm in diameter. Cancer cells may have spread to nearby lymph nodes but not other body parts.
- Stage III: Cancer cells have spread to the lymph nodes. These cells usually invade the lymph nodes in the mediastinum, or the space between your lungs.
- Stage IV: The tumor can be any size or diameter. Cancer cells have spread to the tissue that lines your lungs. A health care provider may find cancer cells in nearby or distant body parts.
The stages of NSCLC are further divided, for example stage IIA, based on the size of the tumor and if it has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body. In contrast, SCLC is subdivided into only two stages:
Limited and extensive. Limited SCLC takes place when the disease remains within the chest area. Extensive SCLC extends beyond the lungs to other parts of the body that cannot be treated through radiation therapy
Treatments for Lung Cancer
A healthcare provider will work with you to choose the right treatment. You may also work with an oncologist, or a healthcare provider who treats cancer. The goal of treatment is to get rid of cancer cells and achieve remission.
Your treatment may depend on your type of lung cancer, stage, and overall health. Common lung cancer treatments include:
Chemotherapy: A healthcare provider can give chemotherapy orally or intravenously (through a vein in your arm). Chemotherapy drugs look for and kill cancer cells in your body.
- Cryosurgery: This uses technology to freeze and kill cancer cells.
- Immunotherapy: Drugs strengthen and trigger your immune system to attack cancer cells.
- Palliative care: This type of care is multidisciplinary. A group of health professionals work together to alleviate your physical discomforts, care for your mental well-being, and equip you with the resources needed to enhance your living experience.
- Radiation therapy: This therapy employs high-energy radiation that destroys cancer cells and causes the shrinking or disappearance of tumors. There are many varieties, one of which is stereotactic body radiation therapy. This can treat very early-stage NSCLC and SCLC.1819
- American Cancer Society. Radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer.
- Surgery: This can help eliminate lobes, or sections, of the lung if you are in an early stage of lung cancer. Surgery depends on the size and location of the tumor.
- Targeted therapy: Drugs target cancer cells to prevent them from growing and spreading. Targeted therapy is generally used more often for treating SCLC than NSCLC.
How To Prevent Lung Cancer
Some risk factors for lung cancer, such as genetics, cannot be avoided. You can still take some lifestyle measures to reduce your risk.
Smoking is the cause of many lung cancers. Stopping smoking-cigarettes, cigars, and pipes-may lower your risk. Smoking is a hard habit to quit. You can try other lifestyle measures to reduce your risk in the meantime.
These lifestyle measures:
American Cancer Society. Can lung cancer be prevented?
- Avoid radon exposure: Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that forms when uranium in soil breaks down and builds up in your home. Radon commonly forms in basements. You can buy an at-home test kit or hire a professional to test for radon.
- Eat nutritious foods: Maintaining a balanced diet that limits high-fat or highly processed foods can help lower your risk.
- Annual Lung Cancer Screenings: Annual screening will not prevent lung cancer, but yearly screenings can identify the disease early before progression. Get yearly screenings for early detection and treatment for a decreased risk of death from lung cancer. Ask a health care provider if you should have annual screening. Eligibility may be based on your age or smoking history.
- Try reducing secondhand smoke exposure: Inhalation of secondhand smoke or smoke resulting from others smoking cannot always be prevented. To reduce contact with secondhand smoke include: Stay out of areas, particularly indoors, such as restaurants where people smoke. Refuse someone permission to smoke in your automobile or house.
Living With Lung Cancer
Healthy behaviors, like nutrient-rich foods and regular exercise, can improve the quality of your life as you undergo treatments for lung cancer. Living with lung cancer is scary, frustrating, and isolating. You are probably experiencing some common side effects from your treatment: fatigue, nausea, vomiting, stress, anxiety, and depression.
Living with lung cancer is not easy. These options might improve your quality of life:
- Ask for help from family members for daily tasks.
- Eating healthy foods you like
- Good sleep and rest throughout the day
- Walk or lightly to moderately exercise
- Engage in hobbies or activities.
- Stay hydrated.
- Consult with your healthcare provider or speak to a mental health specialist when you need support beyond these methods.
- Practice stress-reduction techniques such as deep breathing, relaxation, or even massage.
A Quick Review
Lung cancer starts as a growth of abnormal cells of the lining of the respiratory tract or other lung structures. As it progresses, the disease can invade all the surrounding body tissue including lymph nodes and bloodstream. Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. Among other lifestyle changes, curtailing tobacco use is a common method of reducing a person’s risk of suffering from lung cancer.
There are many treatments for lung cancer, including chemotherapy, radiation, or palliative care. Living with lung cancer is not easy and can often make you anxious or afraid. It is okay to feel this way. Remember that you are not alone in your diagnosis. Resting, staying active with exercise or hobbies, and spending time with your loved ones during this journey can improve your quality of life.
