Like other types of cancer, cancer of the lung is the result of malfunctioning or abnormalities in the cell (the body’s basic unit of life).It is a disease of an unrestrained cell increase in tissues of the lung. The growth may lead to metastasis, which is the invasion of the adjacent tissues and the infiltration of lungs. Normally, the body maintains a system of check, and balances the cell growth. It only replaces cells if it is necessary. Interruption of this system check of cell growth will lead to uncontrolled division and proliferation that will eventually turn to a mass called tumor.
Tumor is a tissue that forms an abnormal mass. Tumor can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors can be easily removed, and it does not spread to the other parts of the body while a malignant tumor grows aggressively and infiltrates other parts of the body. When we say cancer, we usually refer to tumors that are malignant. The process of spreading is called Metastasis. Lung cancer tends to spread or metastasis in the early stages. Cancer of the lung is a life threatening disease. It is the deadliest cancer and is responsible for over a million deaths of men and women worldwide per year. According to the American cancer society, there are about 215,020 for new cases of lung cancer.
Here are some of the causes of lung cancer. Cigarette smoking is the major contributor of lung cancer. Around 90% of lung cancer deaths are because of smoking. A person, who is smoking one pack of cigarettes, can develop this disease 25 times more than a non smoking person. Passive smoking is the inhalation of smoke from a person who is smoking. It is also called second hand smoking. It can also harm you and can cause lung cancer. Radon gas, asbestos, age, pre-existing lung cancer and air pollution are also some of the causes of lung cancer.
The most common symptoms are shortness in breathing, severe cough, and sudden loss of weight. This disease can be detected through chest radiograph and computed tomography (CT scan). The diagnosis is confirmed by Biopsy. Possible treatments for lung cancer are chemotherapy, radiology, and surgery. The five year survival rate for cancer of the lungs is 14%.
