What is Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs. These abnormal cells do not carry out the functions of normal cells and do not develop into healthy lung tissue. As they grow, the abnormal cells can form tumors and impede the function of the lung, which is to provide oxygen to the body via the blood.
There are different types of lung cancer and each type is treated differently.
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Types of Lung Cancer
Lung cancers, also known as bronchogenic carcinomas (“carcinoma” is another term for cancer), are broadly classified into two types: small cell lung cancers (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). This classification is based upon the microscopic appearance of the tumor cells themselves. These two types of cancers grow and spread in different ways, so a distinction between these two types is important.
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Risk Factors and Prevention
A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Some risk factors can be controlled, such as smoking, and some cannot be controlled, such as age and family history. Although risk factors can influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do. However, knowing your risk factors and communicating them to your doctor may help you make more informed lifestyle and health care choices.
The following factors may raise a person’s risk of developing lung cancer:
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For information on the Lurie Cancer Center’s Smoking Cessation Program, visit:
http://www.cancer.northwestern.edu/cancerinfo/smoking.cfm
Symptoms
Early lung cancer often does not cause symptoms. But as the cancer grows, common symptoms may include:
- a cough that gets worse or does not go away
- breathing trouble, such as shortness of breath
- constant chest pain
- coughing up blood
- a hoarse voice
- frequent lung infections, such as pneumonia
- feeling very tired all the time
- weight loss with no known cause
Most often these symptoms are not due to cancer. Other health problems can cause some of these symptoms. Anyone with such symptoms should see a doctor to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
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Clinical Trials
Lung cancer is hard to control with current treatments. For that reason, many doctors encourage patients with this disease to consider taking part in a clinical trial. Clinical trials are an important option for people with all stages of lung cancer. Clinical trials are designed to answer important questions and to find out whether new approaches are safe and effective.
Research already has led to advances that have helped people live longer, and research continues. Researchers are studying methods of preventing lung cancer and ways to screen for it. They are also trying to find better ways to treat it.
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Clinical Trials for lung cancer patients at the Lurie Cancer Center:
http://www.cancer.northwestern.edu/clinicaltrials/Clinical_Trials_Search.cfm
Additional Resources:
lungcancer.org
Lung Cancer Alliance
National Cancer Institute
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