What Are The Early Symptoms of Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer takes time to produce chronic and severe symptoms. Therefore, it is important that one knows the different early symptoms of lung cancer in order to recognize the disease early and prompt treatment can be given. All of these signs and symptoms which appear on the early stages of cancer should be noticed in no time so that treatment can be given at once. Once these signs and symptoms are experienced, it is best to consult with a medical specialist or your physician.

According to statistical reports, lung cancer ranks first in the majority death rate in either male or female. This is one main reason why medical practitioners and people involved in maintaining the stability of people's health are eager to lessen the occurrence of the disease by manipulating the environment. Usually, cancer becomes evident from the age of 40 going to 70. In fact, women are now also being affected with the disease and is gaining in number in terms of affectation compared to men.

The moment cancer cells becomes malignant, it is termed as lung cancer in the primary stage. If a person gets lung cancer and he or she is not a smoker nor is exposed long-term to chemicals and lung irritants, it is deemed that the cancer may have come some place else from the body. This means that aside from that affected side, it has also reached the lung which is known as metastasis. The spread on the lungs commonly comes from the bone, stomach, lymph nodes, breast, kidneys, skin, colon, cervix and even testis.

Some of the common signs and symptoms of cancer are: nagging cough which doesn't go away in weeks or month's time, chest pain, recurrent bronchitis or pneumonia problems, hemoptysis or coughing blood-stained sputum, easily fatigued, weight loss which is caused by anorexia or loss of appetite, and lung manifestations like Dyspnea, hoarseness and wheezing.

Cancer can be quite hard to diagnose because the earliest symptoms can often become tolerable that makes the person think he or she is just experiencing a simple cough or a normal chest pain. Once the early signs and symptoms occur, oftentimes the cancer is diagnosed as severe or has metastasized to a nearby body part like the lymph nodes. Once the diagnosis of this metastasis happens, it is too late because of the advancement the disease has become.

Some evident symptoms seen in patients having lung cancer are:

• Dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing - which is considered as one of the serious symptoms of lung cancer for it may not allow the cancer patient to ingest food and even liquid. Sometimes, this leads to asphyxiation.

• Abnormalities affecting the fingers or the fingernails like overgrowth of tissues in fingertips that result to clubbing

• Gynecomastia or the development of breasts in men

• Atrophy or shrinkage of the muscles

Above all, the three main symptoms related to lung cancer that must not be set aside are the following:

• Chest pain that is a result from persistent coughing or even at the extent of abnormal breathing.

• Hemoptysis or coughing out of blood-streaked sputum which may indicate that trauma is now being experienced by the respiratory system.

• Shortness of breath can happen if there is a blockage in the bronchioles or tubes which serves as a passageway for oxygen.

If more than one of these early symptoms of lung cancer are now occurring on you, it is best that you consult your doctor immediately most especially if you are aged 40 and above.

Charlene J. Nuble is a healthcare professional who loves writing about health related stuffs. Click on the link to learn more about Early Symptoms of Lung Cancer [http://www.lung-cancer-answers.info/What-are-the-early-symptoms-of-lung-cancer.html].

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What Causes Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer is responsible for 1.3 million deaths worldwide. It is the most common cause of cancer related deaths among men and second most common among women. Unfortunately the deaths are increasing not decreasing.

1. Smoking

No surprise here, smoking is the leading cause. Almost 90% of this disease is caused by smoking in the developed world. The risk of developing it for male smokers is 17.2% and 11.6% for female smokers. So the risk factor is very high. If you are a nonsmoker then the risk of having lung cancer is 1.3% for men and 1.4% in women. The changes of developing it is influenced by the time a person smokes and also by the rate a person smokes. And if a person stops smoking then the risk of cancer will steadily decrease because damage to the lungs is repaired slowly. Passive smoking is also a cause of cancer among nonsmokers. Someone living or working with smoker(s) is considered a passive smoker. If you live with a smoker, you have 2 to 3 times the risk of developing this disease compared with a person who lives in a nonsmoking environment.

2. Radon Gas

Radon exposure is the second major cause, after smoking. Radon is a gas that is generated by the breakdown of radioactive radium, it is colorless and odorless. This process of breaking down radium can cause mutations that sometimes can turn cancerous. The levels of radon gas vary by the composition of underlying soil and rocks. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one in 15 homes in the United States has radon levels that are above the recommended guideline.

3. Asbestos

Asbestos is a material that is used in construction. In the UK, asbestos accounts for 2-3% of male lung cancer deaths. Asbestos can enter the body by being inhaled or swallowed. Contact with asbestos over time has been linked with the disease. Most contact with asbestos is work-related. There is also a synergistic effect between smoking tobacco and asbestos in the formation of lthe disease.

4. Viruses

Viruses are known to cause this disease among animals and recent evidence has shown the there is a similar potential in humans as well. Implicated viruses include human papillomavirus, JC virus, simian virus 40, BK virus, and cytomegalovirus. These viruses may affect the cell cycle and inhibit apoptosis, allowing uncontrolled cell division.

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Smoking Greatly Increases The Risk For Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the most deadly of all cancers. It is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women, according to the American Cancer society (ACS). More people die of this than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. The ACS predicts that in 2007 there will be about 213,380 new cases. Of this number, about 160,390 people will die.

Sadly, this can be prevented if people would stop smoking. Smoking is the root cause of eight out of 10 lung cancer cases diagnosed in the United States. The risk for getting this increases if a person has been smoking more than a pack of day for several years.

The risk is lowered if the person stops smoking before lung cancer is developed. Stopping smoking will allow the tissue to slowly return to normal.

And it is not just cigarettes that increase the risk. Cigar and pipes are also likely to increase the risks. Second hand smoke is just as dangerous. If your husband or wife smokes, you have a 30 percent greater risk of developing lung cancer than a person with a husband or wife that does not smoke.

However there are other risk factors, according to the AMS. They are:

* Exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma, another type of cancer that can begin in the lining of the lungs, is also linked to asbestos.

* Arsenic, which is often found in drinking water.

* Exposure to radon, which is found in the soil. Radon is odorless, colorless and is invisible to the naked eye.

* If you smoke marijuana, you may not know that marijuana cigarettes have more tar than regular cigarettes.

* If you have had a family member who has suffered from lung cancer, you are at a higher risk for being diagnosed yourself.

* Follow your mom's advice and eat your fruits and vegetables. A diet that is low in fruits and vegetables may increase your risk.

Most often people do not know they have it until it has spread. Early diagnosis increases your chance of surviving. According to the ACS, the most common symptoms are:

* A cough that does not go away

* Chest pain, often made worse by deep breathing

* Hoarseness

* Weight loss and loss of appetite

* Bloody or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm)

* Shortness of breath

* Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that keep coming back

* Wheezing

According to the ACS, there are two types of lung cancer. Non-small cell is the most common type, accounting for about 85 percent. Both types of usually begin on the bronchi, even though in some cases tumors may being elsewhere in the lungs.

Treatment for lung cancer can include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Your personal physician can advise you on the best treatments.

For more information on cancer try visiting http://www.cancercondition.com - a website that specializes in providing cancer related information and resources including information on lung cancer.

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Facts About Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is an often silent and deadly killer. It is the number one disease killing Americans. And more people die from this type of cancer than any other kind of cancer; breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney and melanoma, combined. So far, this year, there are already 215 thousand new cases. One of the big problems with this disease is that in most cases it is not diagnosed at their earliest, most curable stage. Most people are diagnosed so late that it's of no help to the patient, who often dies from it within a year.

The Lung Cancer Alliance tells us that it begins in the tissues of the lungs, most usually in the cells lining or the air passages and that the two main types are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.

There are several factors believed to lead to this type of cancer:

1. Increasing age - it doesn't strike as frequently in people under age 40. The numbers are slightly higher after age 45, then there is a larger jump in people over the age of 65.

2. Smoking - the most important risk factor in the development of lung cancer. Cigarettes expose the body to more than 4-thousand different dangerous chemicals. The Centers for Disease Control says that about 85-percent of all lung cancers in the U.S. are in people who currently smoke or who have smoked in the past. They note that even if you have quit smoking, the risk does not decrease the longer ago you quit and it never returns to zero.

3. Extended exposure to second-hand or passive smoke - the CDC reports that there are over 3-thousand lung cancer deaths a year attributable to second-hand smoke.

4. Exposure to radon - an invisible, tasteless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally in earth and rocks. This is the second leading cause in the United States.

5. Environmental carcinogens - including arsenic, asbestos, uranium, and diesel fuel.

6. Radiation therapy to the chest - if you have too many chest X-rays when you have a cough or are sick, they can add up.

7. Previous lung diseases like emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or tuberculosis can leave scars on the lungs.

8. Genetics or a family history of lung cancer - new U.S. research reveals that adults who are biologically related to someone who had lung cancer, especially if it was diagnosed before age 50, have an increased risk.

In its early stages, lung cancer has no symptoms. But the signs to watch for include a chronic cough, hoarseness, coughing up blood, weight loss and/or loss of appetite, shortness of breath, a high fever with no known reason, wheezing, repeated episodes of bronchitis or pneumonia, and chest pain.

Among the current approved treatments for lung cancer are Surgery, if used in the early stages of the tumor, it can be taken out, Radiation therapy, a form of high energy X-rays that kills the cancer cells, and Chemotherapy or drugs effective against cancer cells, injected directly into a vein, or taken by pill.

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Lung Cancer Facts and Survival Rates

Many elements impact lung cancer survival rates. Lung cancer, the phase it is at once diagnosed, and the general status of the affected person altogether represent a function in determines lung cancer survival rate. Generally in term of statistic, lung cancer survival is generally could survive up to a five year, which is the percent of affected people with cancer who live at the least five years after their cancer is diagnosed.

Have you heard of people spending Five-hundred-thousand dollars of prior medical treatments and yet had not cured lung cancer? Although some verbalized that chemo treatment was reported to be 90-95% successful in the initial stage of diagnosis for survival rates, but the amount of cell been destroyed of normal healthy immune system and been exposed to toxic carcinogens yet to be disclosed accurately.

Too many people put blind faith in their doctors, and they are ending up dying as a result. We need to learn to take responsibility for our own health, and not allow the medical community to force us to go along with their money-making schemes. Life is precious, and should never be sacrificed so others can profit blindly. I am not saying not to be treated by doctor but you have your right to benefit your healthy immune system as well.

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B17 will definitely attack a cancer cell, if it is present in your body.

Many top scientists claim that when consumed, the B17 would make it 100% impossible to develop cancer.

More details are describe over here at Survival Rate.

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Be Aware That Advanced Lung Cancer Can Be Treated

Forms of Advanced Lung Cancer

A diagnosis of advanced lung cancer means the patient has a large tumor or the cancer has spread. This metastasizing process grows throughout the main body of the lungs, the respiratory airways or into the squamous cell of the lung lining. Advanced stage cancer patients have a lower survival rate, but can be treated with chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy.

Metastasizing

Metastatic cancer in the lungs is the action of malignant cells growing uncontrollably. It is important to receive aggressive treatment to slow the progress of the disease. Left uncontrolled, these same cells may spread the disease to other parts of the body and cause a secondary cancer. Symptoms in this advanced stage may include swelling of the lymph nodes and pain in the liver area. Painful headaches and disorientation may result if it spreads to the brain.

Cures and Treatment

To retard the spread of the metastasizing cells, doctors can implement chemo and radiation therapy, biological, hormone or cryosurgery. Doctors will also employ a combination of these protocols for better results. Biological treatment increases the body's ability to fight the malignant cells, or to assist the immune system during chemo or radiation treatments.

Hormone treatments add, remove or block certain hormones. Patients at risk from low hormone levels benefit from this therapy as it brings these levels back to normal. In some cases, glands are taken out to prevent production of a particular hormone. Another form of this treatment is called endocrine therapy.

Cryosurgery is a form of ablation used to kill the metastasizing cells. This surgery uses liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide for freezing infected tissue.

Classification

'The International Staging System' classifies advanced lung carcinomas based on two situations. If there is a primary tumor it is labeled T1 through T4, with T4 being a larger tumor. A metastasized or multiple tumor disease is labeled M1, M1a or M1b. Determining the stage is important for developing the treatment protocol and providing a prognosis.

Doctors determine the stage through physical examinations, x-rays, biopsy samples and blood tests. Although surgery is the preferred treatment for many cancers of the lung, advanced stages may require additional measures to prevent further spread and prolong the patient's life.

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Is There a Lung Cancer Cure?

About 13 percent of all lung cancer is curable, meaning that those diagnosed with it survive for at least five years. Regardless, all patients with lung cancer can benefit from targeted treatments that can expand lifespan and improve quality of life.

Treatment options for a specific lung cancer cure depends upon the type and stage of the cancer. While a non-small cell cancer in an early stage may find a cure with surgery alone, a small cell cancer in a similar stage may require a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, and sometimes surgery as well. In both small cell and non-small cell lung cancers, an early stage indicates that the cancer is still localized and has not spread from where it originated, while a later stage signifies that the cancer has spread to other organs.

Surgery has the potential to cure lung cancer, but only in early stages in which the cancer has not spread outside the chest. Among the procedures employed to surgically remove cancer are: wedge resection, in which a small section of the lung, including the tumor, is removed; segmental resection, in which a larger section of the lung is removed; lobectomy, in which an entire lobe of one lung is removed; and pneumonectomy, in which the entire lung is removed. However, these procedures are only possible if the patient can tolerate the surgery and does not have additional complications such as severe bronchitis or heart disease.

Many small cell lung cancers are treated with chemotherapy, either alone or in combination with surgery. This therapy involves taking drugs that kill cancer cells. The drugs may be taken either orally, as a pill, or intravenously, through a vein in the arm, and involve multiple treatments over several weeks or months. Patients on chemotherapy need to take breaks from the therapy occasionally to allow their bodies to recover. Though chemotherapy has side effects like nausea, vomiting, and hair loss, it undoubtedly prolongs lifespan and improves quality of life for patients with lung cancer.

Radiation therapy is similar to chemotherapy in that it targets and kills cancer cells. But unlike chemotherapy, radiation therapy can work from outside the body, using high-powered radiation like X-rays to kill the disease. Another option is to use needles, seeds, or catheters inside the body to channel the radiation near the cancer cells. It is sometimes used at the same time as chemotherapy.

Certain drugs also exist on the market for curing or managing lung cancer. These products work by exploiting abnormalities in cancer cells.

A less conventional path to take for treatment of lung cancer is clinical trials. Patients can enroll in these studies and receive experimental treatments, a good option for those whose current treatment isn't working or who have limited treatment options. Each year, hundreds of lung cancer patients enroll in clinical trials; the data collected through this method of research is put to use in creating new therapies and treatments for the disease. Often, the goal of a clinical trial is simply to determine the benefit of one treatment over another.

If all these treatments fail or are not available for a treatment, the patient may opt for supportive care rather than searching for a cure. Instead of harsh or experimental treatments, supportive care can ease symptoms and comfort patients, allowing them to make the most of their remaining time without the burden of treatment side effects.

Adam Bradley is a book publisher of How-To and information books. While researching a lung cancer cure, he was shocked by the tremendous amount of bad information, scams, and bogus agencies. He felt that having to spend countless hours sorting articles and web pages just to find help during a period when time is of the essence was absurd. To help the victims and families of those exposed to asbestos, he and his research team compiled this information and offer a free 15 part Info-Course at: Asbestos Cancer Resources.com

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