Lung cancer is a malignant disease commonly associated with people who smoke heavily. It is estimated that a higher number of men are suffering from this form of cancer. Lately however, the number of women affected with lung cancer is steadily catching up with the number of men affected with the disease.

Diet is an important measure in preventing lung cancer. The risk of developing lung cancer for smokers and non-smokers alike are lowered when they eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Among the most important fruits and vegetables that should be included in your diet are apples, tomatoes, melons, mangoes, dark leafy greens and onions. Apple and onion are rich in cancer-fighting flavonoids. According to a study conducted in Finland, people who consume more apples are 58 percent less likely to develop lung cancer than those who do not eat apples at all.

Try to add some tomato sauce in your cooking. Research shows that tomatoes, especially cooked ones, seem to exhibit protective properties against lung cancer.

Taking in high amounts of beta-carotenes can also lower the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Carotenoid compounds are found in certain produce like peaches, mangoes, melon, squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and green leafy vegetables. Beta-carotene supplement however should be avoided. A study conducted by a Finnish group indicated that an 18 percent rise in lung cancer cases was seen in heavy smokers who were taking beta-carotene supplements. Moreover, the National Cancer Institute researchers also stopped their study on the effects of vitamin A and beta-carotene after smokers who were taking the supplements showed 28 percent more lung cancer than those taking placebos.

Another important measure in the prevention of lung cancer is a routine medical check-up. This should also be accompanied with prophylactic medicines and supplements. An x-ray is necessary especially for those people who smoke and are at the age of 50 and above. A yearly chest x-ray will be especially beneficial for those people who are at high risk of developing lung cancer. A chest x-ray is a preventive measure done to screen for lung cancer. A routine chest x-ray will enable doctors to diagnose lung cancer early so that proper treatment procedures will be implemented.

Aspirin has been shown to ward off lung cancer especially when a dosage of 81 to 325 mg is taken daily. However, you should consult your doctor about the prophylactic advantage of taking aspirin since this form of therapy comes with known side effects.

Selenium that is often found in multivitamin and mineral supplements also shows properties that ward off cancer especially when taken over a long period of time. Some studies show that those who are taking selenium supplements exhibit about 46 percent lower lung cancer rate.

Vitamin C is also good in the prevention of lung cancer. Some studies suggest that people who regularly take 140 mg or more of vitamin C have lower risk of developing lung cancer than those who only get 90 mg or less of vitamin C dosage.

Lifestyle change is also vital in the prevention of lung cancer. People who smoke should consider quitting the habit. When a person stops smoking, his lung cancer risk is lowered by almost half in 10 years.

Finally, the second most common cause of lung cancer is exposure to radon, a colorless gas found in the ground. Test your home for any presence of radon. You can either buy a do-it yourself kit to check for radon which is available in your home supply stores or you can hire a professional to do it for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

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LUNG CANCER INTRODUCTION

Lung cancer may also be the most tragic cancer because in most cases, it might have been prevented, 87% of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. Lung cancer has long been the most common cause of cancer death in men and since 1987 it has also become the most common cause of cancer death in women. Lung cancer is the second most commonly occurring form of cancer in most western countries and although the lung cancer incidence is less common in developing countries, the rapid increase in the popularity of smoking will see the number of lung cancer sufferers in those countries quickly catch up with the western world.

Lung cancers can arise in any part of the lung, and 90%-95% of cancers of the lung are thought to arise from the epithelial, or lining cells of the larger and smaller airways (bronchi and bronchioles); for this reason, lung cancers are sometimes called bronchogenic carcinomas or bronchogenic cancers.

The most common type of lung cancers are epidermoid carcinoma, small cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma.

Most experts agree that lung cancer is attributable to inhalation of carcinogenic pollutants by a susceptible host. Who is most susceptible? Any smoker over the age of 40, especially if they began smoking before the age of 15, have smoked 20 or more for 20 years, or worked with or near asbestos. Two other factors also increase susceptibility: exposure to carcinogenic industrial and air pollutants (asbestos, uranium, arsenic, nickel, iron oxides, chromium, radio active dust, and coal dust.) and familial susceptibility.

LUNG CANCER SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Because early lung cancer usually produces no symptoms, the disease is often in an advanced stage when first diagnosed. Late stage signs are: with epidermoid and small cell carcinoma; smokers cough, hoarseness, wheezing, dyspnea, hemoptysis and chest pain. With adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma; fever, weakness, weight loss, anorexia and shoulder pain. In addition, hormone production which regulates various body functions may also be affected.

LUNG CANCER DIAGNOSIS

Firm diagnosis requires chest x rays, sputum cytology, CT scanning, bronchoscopy the examination of pleural fluid and biopsies. Other tests to detect metastasis include bone scans, bone marrow biopsy and CT scans of the brain and abdomen.

LUNG CANCER METASTASES

Lung cancer most often spreads to the liver, the adrenal glands, the bones, and the brain. Lung cancer that has metastasized to the bone causes bone pain, usually in the backbone (vertebrae), the thighbones, and the ribs. Lung cancer that spreads to the brain can cause difficulties with vision and weakness on one side of the body.

Lung cancer may grow into certain nerves in the neck, causing a droopy eyelid, small pupil, sunken eye, and reduced perspiration on one side of the face; together these symptoms are called Horner’s syndrome (see Autonomic Nervous System Disorders: Horner’s Syndrome). Lung cancer may grow directly into the esophagus, or it may grow near it and put pressure on it, leading to difficulty in swallowing. Lung cancer may also spread through the bloodstream to the liver, brain, adrenal glands, spinal cord, and bone.

LUNG CANCER TREATMENT

Treatment for lung cancer depends on the cancer’s specific cell type, how far it has spread, and the patient’s performance status. If investigations confirm lung cancer, CT scan and often positron emission tomography (PET) are used to determine whether the disease is localised and amenable to surgery or whether it has spread to the point where it cannot be cured surgically. Treatment is usually a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Surgery is usually the first option. Chemotherapy can be used as a first line treatment for lung cancer or as additional treatment after surgery. Radiation therapy can be directed at your lung cancer from outside your body (external beam radiation) or it can be put inside needles, seeds or catheters and placed inside your body near the cancer (brachytherapy). Radiation therapy can be used alone or along with other lung cancer treatments. Radiation therapy can also be used to lessen side effects of lung cancer.

Treatment may not be as effective for patients with bone or liver metastases from lung cancer, excessive weight loss, ongoing cigarette use, or pre-existing medical conditions such as heart disease or emphysema. At some point, if you and your oncologist or primary care physician agree that treatment no longer is advisable, hospice care can provide comfort.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dick_Aronson

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When you are diagnosed with the initial stages of lung cancer, remember there is always hope. Doctors will tell you to be prepared and some will even ask you to get your legal affairs in order. Some doctors will say it is terminal and you do not have long to live. People have to understand cancer, learn about it and not to be afraid of it because your chances of having cancer in your lifetime of one type or another are extremely high.

The most important step to surviving lung cancer is to decide that you want to live! Everybody wants things but not everybody is willing to do what it takes. Just saying that you want to live is not enough. You must truly want to survive and be willing to do whatever it takes to overcome anything and everything that gets in the way. That is the attitude, first and foremost, that you need to succeed.

These are things to do when you first diagnosed with early stage lung cancer;

1) Daily lifestyle change:
- Start intensive diet plan: Take a lot of ozone cleansing vegetables, try to avoid meat which commercially grown.
- Stay alert and healthy with exercise: Plan for a daily exercise to keep your body in tip top condition.
- Take sufficient daily intake of deep sea fish oil, apricot and apricot seed.
- Take combination of nutritional supplements that completely stop the spread of cancer cells.
- Stop smoking if you are a smoker.

2) Research, seeking support and advice:
- Talk to your doctor, follow doctor recommended treatment.
- Research for most lung cancer survivals’ experience.
- Read natural cancer treatment books.

Early stage lung cancer is not the end of your life; you stand a big chance surviving out from it. Talk to your family and maintaining a positive attitude: Say this to yourself “I decided that I was going to do everything that I could. I lived my life trying to be happy.” You stand a big chance to survive years to come…

Steven Saw has researched into lung cancer cases and would like to share his experience in lung cancer. So come visit his website that discuss about Lung Cancer Survival Rate and also detail of Lung Cancer Stages.
Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/first-stage-lung-cancer-survival-rate-1512514.html

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Lung cancer harms the body when free radicals in the atmosphere cause changes in sensitive lung tissue. Quit smoking to reduce the chances of lung cancer with advice from a doctor in this free video on cancer.

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Lung cancer is an ailment of unrestrained cell development in the lung tissues. This growth may lead to metastasis, spreading to the adjoining tissues and penetrating prematurely the lungs. It is the most popular cancer cause of death in men, and the second most common in women.

Frequent symptoms of lung cancer:

1. Continuous chest throbbing
2. Persistent coughs that become severe
3. Shortness of breath, puffing, or huskiness
4. Constant troubles with pneumonia or bronchitis
5. Coughing up blood
6. Inflammation of the neck and face
7. Loss of appetite or significant weight loss
8. Exhaustion

Types of Lung Cancers:

A. Small-cell lung cancer occurs when malignant cells form in the lung tissues.
Small lung cancer has three different types, classified according to the forms of cells developing as cancer. These are:

1. Small cell carcinoma
2. Union of small cell and large cell carcinoma.
3. Joint small cell carcinoma.

These three kinds may contain many different types of cells. The cancer cells of all types may grow and multiply in different ways.

Stages of Small Cell Lung Cancer

Limited stage – cancer starts in the lung tissues, and in the adjacent lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are tiny, bean-shaped structures near the lungs.

Extensive Stage – cancer has propagated beyond the lungs to other parts of the body.
B. Large-cell lung cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the lungs.

Five types of large-cell lung cancer

The five types of large-cell lung cancer have differing varieties of cancer cells. The cancer cells of each category produce and multiply in unusual effects:

1. Squamous cell carcinoma – Cancer starts in the squamous cells, thin flat cells that appear like fish scales. It’s called epidermoid carcinoma.
2. Large cell carcinoma – Cancer in which the cells are big and seem to be irregular when examined under a microscope.
3. Adenosquamous carcinoma – Cancer that begins in cells. Cancer cells appear to be firm when inspected under a microscope.
4. Adenocarcinoma – Cancer that begins in groups in glandular assets.
5. Undifferentiated carcinoma – Cancer cells that do not seem to be normal. They spread fast.

Treatment:

1. Surgery – Surgery is the ideal medication for lung cancer. The body is normally opened up for the lungs to be treated directly.
2. Radiation is a common treatment for lung cancer. Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. It distresses cells only in the treated area.

a. External radiation is the most common radiation treatment for people with lung cancer. Radiation comes from a huge apparatus outside your body. Mainly people go to the hospital or clinic for treatment. Treatments are typically 5 days a week for more than a few weeks.

b. Internal radiation is rare. Radiation is released from a seed, wire, or another device, to the body.

Treatment of Large-Cell Lung Cancer:

• Chemotherapy – This is cancer treatment making use of drugs to prevent the increase of cancer cells. Drugs are either taken by mouth or injected in the veins and muscles to destroy cancer cells. These drugs go into the bloodstream to treat cancer cells in the body. When chemotherapy is placed straight in the spinal column, an organ, or a body cavity like the abdomen, these drugs generally distress cancer cells in those parts.
• Laser therapy – Laser is used to destroy cancer cells.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Urmann

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