One form of cancer that first manifests in the lungs are called lung cancer. Your lungs are two soft organs located in your chest that allow you to breathe in oxygen and exhaust carbon dioxide. The most significant cause of cancer-related fatalities worldwide is lung cancer. Even those who have never smoked can develop lung cancer, but smokers are more at risk than nonsmokers. The quantity and frequency of cigarettes you have smoked are related to your chance of developing lung cancer. Even after years of smoking, you can significantly lower your risk of developing lung cancer by stopping it. Below listed are the lung cancer symptoms, types, and risk factors:
What is Lung Cancer?
When abnormal cells in the lung multiply unchecked, lung cancer begins. Tumours can develop when they infect nearby tissues. Anywhere in the lungs including the respiratory system, can develop lung cancer. Lymph nodes and other bodily areas may become the site of cancer cells spreading or metastasising.
What are the symptoms of lung cancer?
Lung cancer symptoms can change from person to person. Some people have lung-related problems. Some persons with lung cancer that has metastasized and is spread to other parts of the body may experience symptoms unique to that area. Some people experience generic signs of illness. Most lung cancer patients do not show symptoms until the disease has advanced. Symptoms of lung cancer include
- Weight loss with no known cause
- Coughing that gets worse
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Coughing up blood
- Feeling tired most of the time
Repeated pneumonia and swollen or enlarged lymph nodes in the thoracic region between the lungs are further signs of lung cancer. Other illnesses can exhibit these symptoms as well. Consult your doctor if you experience any of these signs so they can help you identify the problem.
Types of lung cancer
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are the two categories under which lung cancer is categorized (NSCLC). Carcinoid lung cancer is a third, less common type of lung cancer.
- Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)
Small cell carcinoma and mixed small cell/large cell cancer, often known as combined small cell lung cancer, are two separate kinds of small cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer is classified according to the cells present in the disease and how they appear under a microscope. Cigarette smoking is virtually always linked to small cell lung cancer. Typically, chemotherapy is used to treat small cell lung cancer.
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
More people acquire non-small cell lung cancer. About 80% of cases of lung cancer are caused by it. Compared to small cell lung cancer, this type of cancer typically develops and spreads throughout the body to other parts of the body more gradually. The three primary varieties of non-small cell lung cancer are as follows:
- Lung adenocarcinoma
The most frequent type of lung cancer, lung adenocarcinoma, is responsible for around 40% of all non-small cell lung cancer cases and 30% of all cases overall. Breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers are a few common tumours that contain adenocarcinomas. Lung adenocarcinomas can be identified in the mucus-secreting glands that line the outside of the lung. Coughing, hoarseness, weight loss, and weakness are symptoms.
Adenocarcinomas are primarily diagnosed in current and previous smokers and develop in cells that generally create mucus. Adenocarcinoma is also essential information because:
- It is the most prevalent cancer in nonsmokers.
- Young people have a higher risk of getting it as a form of lung cancer.
- This cancer is more likely to affect women than men.
- Doctors frequently find adenocarcinoma before it spreads.
The outlook is frequently considerably better for adenocarcinoma than other lung cancer forms when doctors discover abnormal cells in the glandular tissue that lines the lungs.
- Squamous cell
This type of lung cancer develops either in the significant airway branch or in the centre of the lung, where the bigger bronchi connect the trachea to the lung. About 30% of all non-small cell lung cancers are squamous, and smoking is typically a risk factor.
- Large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma
Anywhere in the lung, large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma lung cancer can develop, expand, and quickly spread. Usually, 10 to 15 percent of all NSCLC cases are this specific lung cancer. Large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma frequently advances and distributes.
Risk factors
Your risk of having lung cancer could be impacted by a number of factors. Some risk factors, such as smoking, can be decreased by leaving. Additionally, some factors, like your family history, are outside your control.
Risk factors for lung cancer all include:
- Smoking: The quantity of cigarettes you smoke each day, and the length you have smoked raises your risk of developing lung cancer. By giving up smoking at any age, you can significantly lower your risk of lung cancer.
- Exposure to secondhand smoke: Even if you do not smoke, being around secondhand smoke raises your risk of developing lung cancer.
- Previous radiation therapy: You may be at a higher risk of developing lung cancer if you had chest radiation therapy for another type of cancer.
- Exposure to radon gas: The natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water results in the production of radon, which eventually finds its way into the air you breathe. Radon can build up to unsafe levels in any structure, including houses.
- Exposure to asbestos and other carcinogens: Your chance of developing lung cancer can increase if you work with asbestos or other recognized carcinogens like arsenic, chromium, or nickel, especially if you smoke.
- Family history of lung cancer: Lung cancer risk is higher in people with a parent, sibling, or child with the disease.
Lung cancer treatment in India
India is one of the most popular medical tourism destinations in the world. Patients from all over the world visit India to get affordable quality cancer treatment.
Lung cancer treatment in India includes chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery to kill cancer cells. Indian hospitals have the best surgeons and technology to treat lung cancer, also because the lung cancer treatment cost in India is affordable patients from all over the world choose India for treatment of lung cancer.
Final Thoughts
If people have lung cancer symptoms, it is best to approach a doctor to get treatment. The professional doctor may offer you the treatment before determining your type and stage of cancer. You can consider the above-listed things about lung cancer.
