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Popular Science Health Knowledge: Pathological Types, Etiology and Treatment of Lung Cancer (Short Version)

Popular Science Health Knowledge: Pathological Types, Etiology and Treatment of Lung Cancer (Short Version)

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor of lung. Lung cancer has been leading cause of cancer death in men for many years, and since 1988 it has become leading cause of cancer death in women. Lung cancer is most dangerous malignant neoplasm in world, killing up to 3 million people from it.

Popular Science Health Knowledge: Pathological Types, Etiology and Treatment of Lung Cancer (Short Version)

The estimated number of new cases and deaths from lung cancer (non-small cell and small cell) in 2005 is:

  • New hits: 172,570
  • Number of deaths: 163,510 (a third of all deaths from cancer).

    • Exposure to carcinogens such as tobacco smoke immediately causes small changes in tissue that lines bronchi (bronchial mucosa). The effects are cumulative, with more and more tissue being destroyed over time until a tumor develops. If tumor grows inward, it can block airways, making breathing difficult. The lung can then collapse and an infection can develop, leading to a lung abscess. Here patients begin to cough up blood. However, if tumor grows outward into lungs, patient may not even notice that it begins to spread to other parts of body. Common symptoms include: coughing up blood or bad lung material, chronic cough, wheezing, chest pain, weight loss or loss of appetite, shortness of breath.

    Popular Science Health Knowledge: Pathological Types, Etiology and Treatment of Lung Cancer (Short Version) type of lung cancer

    Based on size of cancer cells seen under a microscope, there are two main types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.

    1. Small cell:

    Small cell carcinoma (also known as oat cell carcinoma) is a less common form of lung cancer, accounting for 20% of lung cancer cases. It tends to start out as a large tube and quickly grow to become quite large.

    2. Types of non-small cells:

    Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for nearly 85% of all lung cancer cases. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a group of heterogeneous histologies. The most common types are squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma.

    These two types together account for 90% of all lung cancers. Other forms include carcinoid, columnar tumor, mucoepidermoid tumor, and malignant mesothelioma.

    Popular Science Health Knowledge: Pathological Types, Etiology and Treatment of Lung Cancer (Short Version) causes of lung cancer

    There are four main reasons why people get lung cancer:carcinogenic substances, such as substances found in cigars

  • Radiation
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Virus
  • Smoking, especially cigarettes, is considered a major cause of cancer and, theoretically at least, one of most preventable diseases. An estimated 80 percent of lung cancers are caused by smoking, as cigarette smoke contains hundreds of known carcinogens such as benzene. How long a person continues to smoke, and how much they smoke, increases likelihood of developing lung cancer. However, if someone quits smoking, these chances decrease over time as lung damage is repaired.
  • Passive smoking, in which exhaled smoke is inhaled by others, has recently been recognized as a much more serious cause of lung cancer in non-smokers than previously thought. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded in 1993 that passive smoking is responsible for about 3,000 lung cancer deaths each year, although scientists are still debating true extent.
  • Asbestos is another known carcinogen, used primarily for mesothelioma (the mesothelial layer that affects lungs, abdomen, or heart). Such exposure often occurs when people inevitably go through their work.
  • Radon is a colorless, odorless gas produced by decay of radioactive radium, a decay product of uranium in earth's crust. It is second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. This radiation ionizes genetic material, causing mutations that sometimes become cancerous. Radon levels vary depending on where you live. In areas such as Cornwall in UK, radon gas is a major problem and fans must be installed to remove gas. The EPA estimates that 1 in 15 homes in United States has radon levels above the recommended levels.
  • Oncogenes are genes that are thought to make a person more likely to develop cancer. Proto-oncogenes are believed to be converted to oncogenes when exposed to certain carcinogens. Viruses are suspected of causing cancer in humans, as this association has been demonstrated in animals.
    • Popular Science Health Knowledge: Pathological Types, Etiology and Treatment of Lung Cancer (Short Version) lung cancer treatment

    The treatment of lung cancer depends on exact form, degree of progression, and other patient data. age). Common treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

    Susceptibility to lung cancer

    The group most at risk of developing lung cancer is people over 50 who also have a history of smoking. Lung cancer is second most common form of cancer in most Western countries, but it is also leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. It is estimated that there will be 169,500 new cases of lung cancer in 2001, of which 90,700 will be in men and 78,000 in women. While proportion of men dying of lung cancer is declining in Western countries, death rate among women is actually on rise due to increase in smoking among this group.

    Popular Science Health Knowledge: Pathological Types, Etiology and Treatment of Lung Cancer (Short Version) prevent lung cancer

    Prevention programs are most cost-effective means of fighting lung cancer nationally and globally. Although industrial and household carcinogens have been identified and banned in most countries, smoking remains fairly common. Smoking cessation should be main goal of lung cancer prevention.

    Because prognosis largely depends on early detection, attempts at secondary prevention have been made in a number of cases. Routine chest x-ray and sputum screening programs are not effective in detecting this cancer early and do not reduce mortality. However, in September 2003, a study published in The Lancet was very promising. Studies have shown that helical CT and positron emission tomography can effectively detect early lung cancer in heavy smokers.

    Popular Science Health Knowledge: Pathological Types, Etiology and Treatment of Lung Cancer (Short Version) Recommendations

    Helical CT and Positron Emission Tomography for Early Lung Cancer in Heavy Smokers: The Lancet 2003;362:593-97.

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