#1 Lung Cancer Symptom and Lung Cancer Treatment

Researchers have associated various risk factors and causes with lung cancer, and most are related to smoking.  However, the chances of developing lung cancer can also be increased by:
Smoking
Exposure to Radon
Exposure to Asbestos
Exposure to Pollution
Exposure to certain diseases
Family or Personal History of cancer
Age

If you are exposed to any of the above, and you also smoke, then you are far more likely to develop lung cancer and other serious health issues.

In this article, we discuss radon and asbestos.

Radon is an invisible, odourless, and tasteless radioactive type gas which is released by uranium and naturally occurs in the soil and rocks of our planet.  If inhaled, radon can cause damage to our lungs which can then lead to lung cancer. 

Individuals who work in mines, especially those mines where dust is generated, can often unwittingly be exposed to radon gas. Radon is also present in the building materials used in some houses. Some people are so concerned about the effects from Radon gas in their homes; many hardware stores will sell an easy to use and inexpensive Radon Detection kit to allow people to measure the radon levels in their homes. This then allows them to identify any Radon related issues and take the corrective action needed to remove the Radon. Once the radon is removed, the hazard is gone for good.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, causing an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year.

Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as fibres.  Asbestos was commonly used in fibro (i.e. cement sheet) walls and roofing because of its good insulation properties.  In addition, asbestos was also used in shipbuilding, asbestos mining and manufacturing, insulation work, brake repair, and for various other applications.  However, because of health concerns, the use of asbestos and asbestos products was banned in most developed countries in or before the early 1990 s.

Asbestos fibres usually tend to break without difficulty into particles that then float in the air and stick to clothing. If these particles are then inhaled, they can settle in the lungs, injuring cells and promoting an increased risk of lung cancer.  Studies have shown that people who have been exposed to large amounts of asbestos are 3-4 times more likely to develop lung cancer.

If your home contains asbestos, you should seriously think about getting it removed by a qualified asbestos removal contractor as soon as possible, especially if the material containing the asbestos is broken, cracked, exposed, flaky, or crumbling.  If the material containing the asbestos is well painted and in good condition so that the fibres asbestos cannot escape, then there should be less danger from the asbestos, but you should still seek advice from a professional asbestos inspector.

To find out if your house or building contains asbestos, you can enlist the services of a licensed professional asbestos inspector.  They will carry out a thorough inspection and provide recommendations and, if your building contains no asbestos, issue an Asbestos Clearance Certificate.

Asbestos workers can work safely providing they always use the protective equipment provided by their employers and follow recommended work practices and safety procedures.

Researchers around the world continue to study the causes of lung and other cancers and to search for ways to prevent or cure them.  The best way to prevent lung cancer and a range of other serious health complications is to quit smoking, or better yet, never start smoking in the first place.  The sooner a person quits smoking the better their prospects for a healthy future.  Even if someone has been smoking for many years, it’s never too late to benefit from quitting.

From the time that you notice unusual or tell-tale symptoms, that may forebode some serious health issue such as cancer, you will probably have a range of questions that you will wish to ask your doctor.  These questions will initially be questions about diagnosis.  However, if the diagnosis confirms the presence of cancer, then, after recovering from the shock, you will probably develop additional questions about treatment options, treatment side effects, and a range of other topics.

Getting answers to these questions is important so that you can make informed decisions about your health care, so that you understand precisely what the score is, and so that you can put your mind at rest that the best and most appropriate treatments are being provided.

To help you get started on the sorts of things you may want to know at each stage, here is a list of questions that you may want to ask:

Diagnosis:
What tests are available to diagnose lung cancer ?  How accurate are they ?  Are they painful ?
How soon after the tests will I learn the results ?
What type of lung cancer do I have ?
At what stage of development is my lung cancer ?
Has the cancer spread to other parts of my body ?
What types of physical symptoms will I experience ?
Do I need more tests ?

Treatment:
What treatment(s) are most appropriate for the type of cancer I have ?
Which treatments have proven to be most effective for the type of cancer I have ?
Will I need to be in the hospital to receive my treatment ?
When does treatment start ?  How long will treatment last ?  How often will I need treatment ?
How might my normal activities change during my treatment ?
What are the chances of completely eradicating the cancer ?
What is the prognosis for my future ?
When will I know if the treatment has been successful ?
If this treatment fails, what do we try next ?
What clinical trials are available / appropriate for my type of cancer ?  Do I qualify ?  How do I enrol ?  How do I find out more ?

Treatment Side Effects:
What side effects should I expect ?  How long will they last ?  How serious are they ?
What side effects should I report ?  How do I report them ?  Whom should I call ?

Follow-up:
After treatment, how often do I need to be checked ?  What type of follow-up care should I have ?
Will I eventually be able to resume my normal activities ?
If the cancer returns, what are the treatment options ?
What symptoms should I particularly be on the lookout for ?

Health Care Team:
Who will be involved with my treatment and rehabilitation ?  What is the role of each member of the health care team in my care ?
What has been your experience in caring for patients with lung cancer ?

Resources:
Are there support groups in the area with people I can talk to ?
Can I get financial assistance ?
Can I get treatment related assistance, such as transportation to appointments ?
Are there organizations where I can get more information about cancer, specifically lung cancer ?

To help you remember what the doctor says, you may like to take notes (or have someone else take notes for you) while asking your doctor these questions.  Some doctors may even allow you to use a voice recorder to record the meeting.  Most people will probably want to have a family member or friend present with them while they talk to the doctor - to take part in the discussion, take notes, or even just to listen.

Lung cancer causes up to 30% of all cancer related deaths, and it is the 2nd leading cause of death among both men and women in western society.

85% of all lung cancers are caused by a person’s smoking habit or just by breathing in the second-hand smoke of others.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, This causes an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year.

In the USA lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death.  Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer among African-Americans, Caucasians, Asians and Hispanic males.

African-Americans experience the highest incidence of lung cancer and the highest death rate. (Smoking tends to be a cultural thing).

The five-year survival rate for lung cancer is only 15%, compared to 87% for breast cancer, 98% for prostate cancer, and 62% for colon cancer.

In an average year in the USA, lung cancer will kill more people than
breast cancer,
kidney cancer,
colon cancer prostate cancer,
liver cancer,
skin cancer (melanoma) combined.

On average in the USA:
Lung cancer will kill three times as many men per year as prostate cancer.
Lung cancer will kill nearly twice as many women per year as breast.

Over 50% of new lung cancer cases will be diagnosed at a very late stage in the disease - Stage IIIb or IV - and, because of the advanced spread of the disease, only 5% of these people will live for 5 or more years.

“After you stop smoking, your lungs will return to normal in 10 years” is a commonly repeated myth. However your lungs never return to normal and most former smokers remain at high risk levels.  Their chances do improve though when they stop smoking.
 
Existing smokers account for about 35-40% of new lung cancer cases each year.

Former smokers account for about 50% of new lung cancer cases each year.

Never smokers account for about 10-15% of new lung cancer cases each year, and this is probably due to passive smoking.

Male smokers are 23 times more likely to die of lung cancer than men who have never smoked.  Male former smokers are 9 times more likely to die of lung cancer than never smokers.

Female smokers are 13 times more likely to die of lung cancer than women who have never smoked.  Female former smokers are 5 times as likely to die of lung cancer than women who have never smoked.

Britain has the highest incidence of lung cancer, while Nigeria has the lowest incidence.  In Britain, you are 300 times more likely to develop lung cancer than in Nigeria.

Age is another risk factor for lung cancer.  The likelihood of developing lung cancer increases with age.  Very few people under 40 years of age have lung cancer, in fact, only 1 in 3,000 people aged under 40 have lung cancer.  In the 40-59 age group, approximately 1 in 100 people have lung cancer.  Whilst in the 60 and over age group, 1 in 20 people have lung cancer.

Researchers around the world continue to study the causes of lung and other cancers and to search for ways to prevent or cure them. The greatest way of preventing lung cancer and other serious health related complications is to give up smoking, or better yet, never start smoking in the first place. 

The sooner a person stops smoking the better their prospects for a healthy future.  Even if someone has been smoking for many years, it’s never too late to benefit from quitting.