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Cells are the building blocks that form our lives. We know that cells naturally grow, divide, and multiply to keep out bodies healthy and strong. Occasionally, however, these same cells will divide and multiply when there is no need to do so. This results in a mass of cells known as a tumor, or cancer. An unchecked and rapid growth of cells in the lung is lung cancer. There are two forms of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. The categories of lung cancer are based morphology of the cells as seen under a microscope. The two types of lung cancer have their treatment methods, as they spread in different ways. The most common form of lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer, the type that slowly grows and spreads. In this class are large cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma, the three major types of non-small cell lung cancer. Instances of small cell lung cancer are not so common as that of non-small lung cancer. This type of lung cancer spreads rapidly and may affect different organs of the body. This type of lung cancer is also known as oat cell cancer. Recently lung cancer has been recognized as the deadliest form of cancer in many developed nations, including the USA where 170,000 people die from the disease each year. Even though lung changes start almost immediately upon exposure to carcinogens, lung cancer takes years together to develop. The inhalation of the carcinogens through cigarette smoke is the main cause of lung cancer in both smokers and non-smokers. The risk of contracting lung cancer increases when there is an environmental exposure to radon compounded with smoking. People working in places with exposure to asbestos face another form of lung cancer known as mesothelioma lung cancer. Most people affected by lung cancer are over the age of fifty and are long-term smokers. Symptoms can vary depending upon the location of the tumor within the lungs. Some common symptoms include chronic cough, chest pain, wheezing, and recurring lung infections. An experienced health care professional can diagnose lung cancer based on symptoms, smoking history, medical history, earlier family history of lung cancer, and exposure to occupational and environmental materials. After the initial tests, an X-Ray can be used to make an affirmative diagnosis. Different tests are available to diagnose small cell or non-small lung cancer and to gauge the stage of the cancer. Medical professionals are also able to confirm whether the cancer is localized within the lung or has spread to other parts of the body. Lung cancer is treated by three methods: chemotherapy (in which cancer cells can be eliminated by medication), radiation therapy (eradicating the cancer cells with high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays) and surgery (removal of the cancerous tumor). It's considered difficult to treat advanced stage lung cancer, but early stage cancer can be treated with moderate success. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you smoke, protect yourself from lung cancer by butting out for good. If you quit smoking now, you can gradually decrease your risk of cancer over the next 10 to 15 years as your lungs recover.
Article Source: http://www.rightarticle.com
Writer Ambrose Hutson is a columnist for several Internet sites, on health product and personal health care topics.
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