Lung Cancer Treatment

Lung Cancer Treatment
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Introduction
Research shows that cancer kills an average of 7.9 million people worldwide annually, which translates to 13% of the entire total mortality rate in the world. Cancer is a collection of diseases basically exhibited by changes in the human body cells where they grow out of control. Cancers are normally classified according to the kind of tissue or fluid from where it originates. One of the particular types of cancer identified in this manner is the Lung Cancer. It is evident through research that the number of deaths caused by lung cancer outweigh those caused by any other kind of cancer. However, it is worth noting that the birth of new technology and its advancement in the field of medicine has played a great role in helping cancer victims, thus prolonging their lifespan.
In the United States, the most common cancer is Lung Cancer with most cases associated to tobacco use. Lungs cancer originates from the lungs but can spread quickly to other surrounding areas in the body. With reference to the American Cancer Society (2014), it is clear that lung cancer develops once cells in the lung expand beyond the normal rate. In that case, it forms within the tissue of the lung, thereby destroying any tissue that borders it. When this happens, it hampers with the general performance of the lung. If left untreated, it spreads rapidly to the lymph system. Reflecting on a definition point of view, lymph nodes are tiny tissues that connect lymph vessels. Worth noting is that lymph nodes contain lymph. This is a fluid essential in fighting contagion, and travels from side to side of the body in vessels that are similar to veins. Despite the fact that the cancer can spread to other body tissue, it is still termed as lung cancer.
Definition of Lung Cancer
The medical definition of lung cancer is “a highly malignant form that affects the lungs”. The team definition is “a group of abnormal cells that starts off in the lungs and grows uncontrollably.
Origin
Lung cancer is believed to start in the bronchi lining (main lung's airways). However, it can also begin in other areas including the trachea, alveoli or bronchioles which are all parts in the respiratory system. It was the leading cause of cancer death in the United States for both men and women with about 220,000 people in America diagnosed with this type of cancer annually (Nader, 2014). Almost all lung cancers are carcinomas, which mean that it begins from the lining tissues of an organ or the covering part of the organ. The tumor cells of the lung cancer grow and spread differently according to each type and therefore different treatment is required for each type. “About 85 % to 90 % of lung cancers belong non-small cell lung cancer” (American Cancer Society, 2014).
Categories of Lung Cancer
The major categories of lung cancer come into two forms, although this is largely dependent on cells found within the tumour. These two types are the Non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common and includes Adenocarcinoma, large cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma. Adenocarcinoma starts in the cells lining the alveoli and is the most common to non-smokers, women, and younger persons. Squamous begins from the lung's thin flat cells and is the most common to smokers caused by cigarette smoking. Large cell carcinoma starts from the large cells situated in the lungs (Nader, 2014).
The small cell lung cancer is sometimes referred as oat cell cancer as its cancer cells look like oats when viewed using a microscope. This is rare and makes up about 20% of all lung cancer cases (Nader, 2014). It is virtually always caused tobacco consumption. The small cell lung cancer grows rapidly and spreads quickly to other organs such as the lymph nodes. It is always crucial to discover the type lung cancer one is suffering from in order to provide the correct medication. It is with no doubt that the small cell lung cancer is rare, and includes carcinoid tumours, cancer of unknown primary, and salivary gland carcinoma (American Cancer Society, 2014). The carcinomas involving different areas of the lung may cause dissimilar symptoms that are treated differently.
Symptoms of Lung Cancer
When it first develops, Lung cancer usually shows no symptoms, but the symptoms become contemporary when the tumor begins to grow. Each individual may have different symptoms. However, the most common symptoms include cough. Other symptoms include: constant chest pains, wheezing, shortness of breath, recurring lung infections such bronchitis or as pneumonia, rust colored or bloody sputum, hoarseness, pain, and weakness in the shoulder. These symptoms are caused by a tumor that presses on large blood vessels adjacent to the lung. Like all cancers, lung cancer can exhibit symptoms of fatigue, appetite loss, weight loss, headache, and pain in other parts of the body. Research records that signs of lung cancer are reliant on on the location and size of the tumor. These symptoms are not visible until the later and advanced stages of the illness (Nader, 2014).
Causes of Lung Cancer
A. Smoking- smokers are at the highest risk of contracting lung cancer due to the substances contained in those products people smoke. Some of these substances include; Carcinogens Arsenic, Cadmium, Nickel and Vinyl Chloride. All these are substances that can make body cells divide at faster rates than normal (Nader, 2014).
B. Second-hand Smoke which is also referred as the environmental tobacco smoke.
Second hand smoke is labelled by environmental professionals as a human carcinogen. Inhaling second hand smoke can cause lung cancer in no...