Lung cancer accounts for more deaths than any other cancer in the Western world and the principal cause of lung cancer is believed to be smoking in 90% of cases. Unfortunately the majority of patients put the classic symptoms of a persistent cough and a deteriorating shortness of breath down to the normal passage of smoking and don’t attend their doctors until it’s too late.

Individuals most at risk of contracting lung cancer are smokers or individuals who are readily exposed to passive smoke along with people who work with asbestos or have been exposed to radon gas. You are also at risk if a close relative of yours also has the condition. A consistent diet lacking in fruit and vegetables also places you at greater risk given these foods are packed full of antioxidants which are understood to help prevent cancer and therefore eating plenty of antioxidants is critically important if you are a smoker.

It is without question that smoking is the most significant risk factor in the manifestation of lung cancers. Although the statistics show that smokers are far more prone to developing lung cancer is also noted that it appears the duration of your smoking habit has a direct link to the risk. Smoking 20 cigarettes a day for 40 year period places your risk of contracting lung cancer at around eight times greater than in individual smoking 40 cigarettes a day for 20 years.

It is not always smokers that developed lung cancer however although a small percentage of around 12% of all new cases will be attributable to non-smokers.

Lung cancer is ordinarily diagnosed through undergoing a chest x-ray which ordinarily will be provided to check anything which looks out of the ordinary. There are various treatments available to cater for lung cancers that it will very much depend upon the stage at which the cancer has been spotted and whether or not it has developed into other parts of the body. If the diagnosis is made early there is a far greater possibility of curing the disease but at the present time the chances of survival following five years after the diagnosis, is around 1 in 20.

It is never a good time to quit smoking but the benefits far outweigh the hardship caused in stopping smoking so consider the above sobering information and pack it in.

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

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