INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cellular growth in tissues of the lungs. It is one of the most commonly occuring cancers in the United States, accounting for approximately 15 percent of all cases, or 170,000 new cases every year. It is also the leading cancer killer in America, taking more lives each year than breast, prostate and colorectal cancers combined, according to the American Cancer Society. In the US it is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women and is responsible for as many deaths as breast and all gynecological cancers combined.
SMOKING: Smoking, radon, and second hand smoke are the leading causes. Smoking causes an estimated 160,000* deaths in the US. Smoking leads to 85 percent to 90 percent of all lung cancers.
Smoking affects non-smokers by exposing them to second hand smoke. If a smoker stops smoking, the chance of lung cancer decreases steadily as damage to the lungs is repaired and contaminant particles are slowly removed.
RADON GAS: A colorless and odorless gas generated by the breakdown of radioactive radium, which in turn is the decay product of uranium, found in the earth's crust.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. It accounts for 15,000 to 22,000 deaths each year in the United States -- 12 percent of all lung cancer deaths are linked to radon.
RISK FACTORS: Include smoking cigarettes or cigars, today or in the past. Not all cases are cause by smoking, but the role of passive smoking is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor, leading to policy interventions to reduce undesired exposure of non-smokers to others' tobacco smoke.
A smoker who is also exposed to radon has a much higher risk of lung cancer. The more cigarettes you smoke a day and the earlier you started, the greater your risk of developing lung cancer. High levels of pollution, radiation and asbestos exposure may also increase your risk.
SYMPTOMS: May include Persistant cough, Hoarseness, Coughing up blood, Loss of Weight and Appetite, Shortness of breath, Fever without a known reason, Wheezing, Repeating bouts of bronchitis or pneumonia and Chest pain.
About 10 percent of people have no symptoms at diagnosis; these cancers are incidentally found on routine chest x-rays. In fact, lung cancer can spread outside the lungs without producing any symptoms.
TREATMENT: Treatment depends on the cancer's specific cell type, how far it has metastasize (spread), and the patient's performance status. It also depends on the stage, or how far along it is.
Treatment choices should be discussed with Your doctor. It may include chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. In recent years, various molecular targeted therapies have been developed as treatments.
CONCLUSION: Lung cancer is the second most commonly occurring form of cancer in most western countries, and it is the leading cancer-related cause of death. It is the most common cause of cancer deaths in both men and women, accounting for nearly a third of cancer deaths annually in the United States.
It has become the subject of a great amount of research. Although the rate of men dying from it is declining in western countries, it is actually increasing for women due to the increased takeup of smoking by this group. We already know that the best way to prevent it is to quit (or never start) smoking. Three to five years after quitting, the risk of getting the disease is reduced by half.
About the Author:
Richard H. Ealom is an expert ezinearticles.com writer with more than 50 articles on diseases,causes,cures and author of this article. To find out more about Cancer please visit his website "Cancer Breakthrough USA!"
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