Avastin for lung cancer

Published on Jun 25 2010, in the categories: lung cancer

Avastin is a drug used in chemotherapy that has only recently been approved by the FDA. In fact it is the first anti-angiogenesis therapy approved by the Food and Drug Association for the treating advanced stages of colorectal cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and kidney cancer. These cancers together account for about 3 million deaths every year. With more than 500,000 patients having been treated with it, Avastin has been reported to be quite effective against these types of tumors and clinical trials are working around the country to improve its effect and minimize side-effects.

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It is quite predictable that Avastin can have numerous and severe side-effects, though these are outweighed by its ability to control tumor growth and metastases. It works as an antibody that blocks the vascular endothelial growth factor, which is known to stimulate development of blood vessels that feed the tumor, a process also called angiogenesis.

In the case of non-small cell <a href="http://i-lungcancer.com/category/lung-cancer/" target="_blank">lung cancer</a>, Avastin can be combined with carboplatin and paclitaxel and become a first-line treatment of patients with advanced lung cancer, which is unresectable, recurrent or metastatic.

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Let's now return to Avastin's side-effects since it can rarely even result in the development of a severe side-effect called <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000235.htm" target="_blank">gastrointestinal perforation</a>. This consists in the development of a hole in the stomach and can be fatal. Symptoms that can warn you about it include fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and constipation.

Avastin treatment can also cause slow and incomplete healing of your surgical wounds and this can lead to infections. The recommendation is not to take Avastin in the first month after surgery. Fatal bleeding can also result from poor administration of Avastin. Coughing up blood, bleeding in the stomach and nosebleeds can occur so if you already have such symptoms don't take Avastin.

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However, side effects most commonly occur in more than 10% of the patients and include nosebleeds, headache, high blood pressure, inflammation of the nose, taste change, dry skin, rectal bleeding and back pain.

Since bleeding and even fatal hemoptysis are risks that comes with taking Avastin, patients with large tumors, <a href="http://lungcancer.about.com/od/glossary/g/squamouccell.htm" target="_blank">squamous cell lung cancer</a> and hemoptysis are not indicated to be treated with Avastin. It is also not recommended for patients with CNS metastases due to the risk od hemorrhage. This contraindications add up to as much as 45% of lung cancer patients who are not eligible for Avastin treatments.

However, there is now a better alternative to Avastin and it is called Erbitux. This drug is said to have the same impact as Avastin on the tumor but without all the disastrous side-effects Avastin has on our body. Ask your doctor for more information about these drugs and always ask for second opinions as not all doctors are up to date with all recent advances in chemo drugs.

Emphysema and lung cancer

Published on Jun 25 2010, in the categories: lung cancer

Emphysema is a condition through which lung tissue is destroyed and obstructs air flow and the development of enlarged air sacs. This disease is almost ten times more common than lung cancer though obviously not as deadly. About 1,600,000 patients have been diagnosed with this disease in the US alone in one year. Most patients with lung cancer have also been diagnosed with emphysema.

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This is also an affection most commonly linked with smoking as 75% of all cases occur in smokers. This gradual obstruction of the airways requires you to use more energy for ventilating your lungs. Symptoms that can be experienced include <a href="http://i-lungcancer.com/difficulty-breathing-and-diagnosing-lung-cancer-early/" target="_blank">shortness of breath</a> and a limited ability to exercise. Alongside, <a href="http://copd.about.com/od/chronicbronchitis/a/bronchitis.htm" target="_blank">chronic bronchitis</a>, emphysema reduces the patient's chances of safely recovering from lung cancer treatments like surgical interventions and radiation therapy. They also have difficulty with coughing out secretions and clearing the airways and also in breathing to the point that respiratory failure and even death can occur.

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This kind of destruction of the lung's tissue is brought about or amplified by smoking, which has been proven to make all people mush more vulnerable to lung cancer in particular but also cancer in general, as it can seriously harm the immune system.

Specialized tests and diagnosing emphysema is essential, as results from these tests and information about the patient's medical history and medical examination can help the surgeon to predict and establish the risks and the impact or surgical procedures on the body and the cancer. This enables the oncologist to predict whether you risk to have a disability as a result of the surgery.

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You must know that there is also another cause for developing emphysema, apart from smoking. This abnormal increase of the airspaces distal to the last bronchiole is also caused by a genetical predisposition, particularly an enzyme deficiency that is estimated to be present in between five thousand and ten thousand Americans. The treatment most commonly associated with emphysema, though tests and trials have yet to prove its safety and effectiveness, is the lung volume reduction surgery (<a href="http://chestjournal.chestpubs.org/content/116/suppl_3/477S.full" target="_blank">LVRS</a>). This has stimulated a lot of debates especially since there's a close battle between indications and contraindications of surgery in the early stages of lung cancer.

Research goes on and there's always significant variation with every individual case so it would be better to consult your oncologist for an accurate prognosis and treatment plan.

Unfortunately, emphysema is not something you can easily live with as half of the patients with emphysema complain about the limitation this affection brings in their daily activities. Your best chance against it is close monitoring of your health, detecting the inherited predisposition on time and, of course, choosing not to smoke.

Back pain as a symptom for lung cancer

Published on Jun 23 2010, in the categories: lung cancer

Lung cancer is a type of cancer that is most likely to be diagnosed later in its development. This is one of the reasons why it is the form of cancer with the highest death rates. Since it is usually asymptomatic in its earlier stages, it is only after we see the first signs that we consult a doctor and by that time the cancer is likely to have become invasive and limit the treatment options considerably.
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If you know you are exposed to more lung cancer risk factors you should attentively monitor your health and go through medical examinations on a regular basis. Being aware of certain symptoms that people don't usually associate with lung cancer but can be related to it is also very important in preventing the development of the cancer.

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Some testimonials of lung cancer patients have claimed that back pain is one of the early signs of lung cancer. This symptom is a dangerous one because it can very easily be dismissed as being caused by something else, like age or effort, when in fact it is a result of cancer forming in the lungs. Many patients have claimed to have felt such pain for a long time before the cancer's onset.

Shoulder and upper back pain is just one of the symptoms people usually don't take notice of. Other such symptoms are swelling of the face and neck, frequent pneumonia and male breast development.

Immediately when you feel the slightest discomfort or pain in the back, you should consult a physician. You might not have anything to worry about but it's always better to be safe than sorry. If the pain is indeed a sign of lung cancer you are still among the lucky ones to have detected the disease early. This will give you much greater chances of curing the disease. You might have back pain from coughing, in which case this is a secondary symptom and you should have already considered lung cancer given the presence of persistent cough. Persistent shoulder or back pain unrelated with coughing can also occur, like stated above. This can be an early sign but, particularly shoulder pain, can occur once the cancer has spread to the nerves and this pain is most likely to go down from the shoulders all the way to the outside of the arm. This condition is also called Pancoast Syndrome.

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No type of pain should ever go untreated and by this I mean that the cause should also be determined before just numbing it with pain killers or other drugs. Taking any type of back pain seriously can actually save your life if it is an early symptom for lung cancer

Asbestos and lung cancer

Published on Jun 23 2010, in the categories: lung cancer

Lung cancer is the type of cancer that has the highest death rate of all cancers. Though it can be prevented or you can aid your body's struggle with it by opting for a generally healthy lifestyle, there are still several risk factors involved which can lead to lung cancer in otherwise healthy individuals. Such risk factors include exposure to radon and asbestos and, in this case, even people who have never smoked in their lives can be susceptible to developing lung cancer. More and more studies are confirming the link between asbestos and lung cancer. Workers exposed to asbestos show increasing rates of incidence of lung cancer. Smoking also brings more harm to the matter since an increase in the risk of developing lung cancer is present among asbestos exposed workers who smoke.
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Asbestos is what people call a group of minerals that occur naturally in the environment as fibers that can be separated into thin, string threads. Thse fibers are resistant to heat, fire and chemicals. They also don't conduct electricity and this is one of the reasons why it is used in many industries.

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The main affection connected with asbestos is mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer that occurs in the lining of the lung but also in the heart or the abdomen. However, asbestos can also lead to other thoracic carcinomas such as adenocarcinoma. In total, between 3,400 and 8,500 of lung cancers diagnosed every year can be accounted for by asbestos. In most cases, cancer is preceeded by asbestosis. However, this scarring of the lung tissue is not present in all cases and it therefore doesn't help to much in diagnosing the cancer and determining a pathology for it.

Unfortunately, asbestos lung cancer is likely to be asymptomatic in its earlier stages. However, in about 15% of the cases some symptoms that may be present include: persistent cough, hoarseness, weight loss and a bloody sputum. Confirmation of the disease can be made after a physical examination and a specialized test. Tests you can take to diagnose and stage the cancer include more types of biopsies like bronchoscopy, needle aspiration, thoracentesis, thoracotomy and mediastinoscopy.

Treatments that are available are the same as for any type of lung cancer and depend more on the stage of the cancer than on the type or location. Treatment can include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well as other complementary treatments.

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You must be aware of the risks involved with exposure to asbestos and you should be aware if you are working in an environment where you should worry about this. You shouldn't underestimate these risks as you might think everything is all right and that you're fine but even after you retire, you can still one day be diagnosed with cancer, as malignant mesothelioma can usually take even 30 years to develop after exposure to asbestos.

Bronchoalveolar lung cancer

Published on Jun 22 2010, in the categories: lung cancer

Lung cancer is a very complex type of cancer, as most cancers are in fact, mainly because of the fact that it can take more forms and require different treatments for each of its stages and types. Diagnosing and accurately staging the cancer is essential. There are two main types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, the last one being the most common one. These can also be further divided into subtypes. Non-small cell lung cancer includes squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell lung cancer.
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Bronchoalveolar lung cancer is a type of non-small lung cancer, also referred to as a subtype of adenocarcinoma. Its name obviously comes from the bronchi. These are the passageways in which the trachea splits when it reaches the lungs. The bronchi also divide into smaller tubes called bronchioles which end in tiny sacks of air called alveoli, this being where the exchange of gasses between the lung and the blood occurs. Just like all cancers, lung cancer develops when cells begin to grow and divide out of control. Bronchoalveolar lung cancer usually start in the lungs and spreads along the membranes that separate the alveoli.

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Adenocarcinoma is a frequent type of lung cancer and it actually accounts for 40% of all lung cancers, and the number of cancers attributed to carcinoma is increasing with every year. The death rates for this type of lung cancer can range between 2% and 14%. Curiously enough, bronchoalveolar lung cancer is the most common one among people who don't smoke. This makes it especially difficult to determine its causes. However, the symptoms are line for the other forms of lung cancer. Unfortunately, this type too does not show any significant symptoms before already reaching a very advances stage.

Diagnosing it is done just as for the other types of lung cancer and the process starts with a x-ray and moves on to other specialized imaging tests like CT scan and MRI. Ultrasound and PET scans are also recommended sometimes. The final test, meant to confirm or rule out lung cancer once and for all is the biopsy.

The treatment and management plan for this type of cancer is also very complicated because it varies from stage to stage. Stage 1 is treated through surgery and the 5-year survival rate is 75%. Surgery at this stage is meant to remove the infected lobe or just a part of the lobe, most of the time being enough to remove the cancer completely.

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By the last stage, surgery is not only useless but the cancer is actually often enough considered to be incurable, with a 5 year survival rate of only 2%.

Clinical trials are also a very good option for most but apart from giving people hope and a reason to prolong their life, they haven't been so successful for terminal cancers so far.

A list of herbal treatments for lung cancer

Published on Jun 22 2010, in the categories: lung cancer

Lung cancer is the type of cancer that kills most people on a yearly basis. If we were to begin preventing diseases instead of just dealing with them as they come along, most of us would probably start with lung cancer. A first step in preventing it would definitely be not smoking. Smoking, though natural for the most part, not only contains cancerous substances but also weakens the immune system thus making you much more vulnerable to cancer.
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The best way in which we can hope to prevent lung cancer as well as to keep an overall good state of health would be to to supplement our diet with various plants and vitamins that have been proven to aid in the fight against diseases like lung cancer. Herbs are most commonly the first thing we resort to and there is a lot of information out there about herbs that can help in fighting cancer. Generally, these are effective in strengthening the body and "oil" it in order to function smoothly. Herbal, just like medicine, is best taken after consulting a specialist. Though they are no doubt the safest option of treatment, they might be useless for what you want to use them is you are not properly diagnosed and set on a certain medical treatment plan before. Herbs can come in more forms than that in which they can be found in nature. For example they can be administered as dried extracts like capsules, powders, teas or like glycerites (glycerine extracts). They can also come as tinctures, like for example alcohol extracts.

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There are many lists of herbal support treatments available and you can find them in the category known as alternative treatment for cancer. An example of a herbal supplement that can help in the battle against lung cancer is the highly accessible green tea, also known as Camelia Sinensis. This can be prepared from 250-300 mg and drunk for its antioxidant, anticancer effects as well as for its ability to boost the immune system. Another ingredient that cannot be forgotten from any herbal list is the reishi mushroom. This can be taken two or three times a day and it is a powerful anti-cancer herb. The olive leaf is another natural product that can do wonders for your immune system and for inhibiting the development of cancerous cells. This can be taken also as a tincture and a specialist is recommended to help you establish the necessary dosage. To add to these, you can also get your hands on some milk thistle which is a powerful detoxifier. Last but not least, fermented wheat germ extract is a must and goes great with your favorite beverage for at least once a day.

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This list of herbal treatment is recommended as complementary treatment and no doctor actually recommends patients to replace standard treatments with alternative ones.

Lung cancer facts

Published on Jun 22 2010, in the categories: lung cancer

Lung cancer has attracted a lot of attention in recent years and more and more posts try to resume it through warnings against smoking and if it was before dismissed as one of the least worrying aspects of our lives today people are growing more paranoid about it than it is justified. Neither version is correct and we should always take a step back and try to see things as they are and not as they are revealed to us from one source or another. The best way of keeping a balanced perspective over things like lung cancer is by being informed from more sources about mostly objective facts.
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Especially if you aren't a smoker or even if you've never been confronted with the tragedy of lung cancer there are still some facts you ought to know about lung cancer, about how you can develop it and about how you can detect it on time. Statistics can also help you get a better picture about the present amplitude of lung cancer.

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The first fact you need to know is that smoking is indeed the main risk factor involved with lung cancer. That's not to say that if you've never smoked you're safe but you are definitely more likely to get it if you do smoke. Your immune system is also affected by smoking and you'll have a hard time dealing with infections like pneumonia and bronchitis which are symptoms of lung cancer. Other symptoms of lung cancer that can clue you in on whether it's time for a new appointment with your doctor include: chest pain, difficulty breathing, wheeziness, hoarseness and a persistent cough.

Here are some facts to help you see that lung cancer is an issue that's effecting entire communities and it is usually just a matter of time before you're confronted with it yourself, in a loved one or just an acquaintance.

Supposedly, every two minutes somebody in the world is diagnosed with it and 30% of all cancer mortality is accounted for by lung cancer. This would imply that lung cancer kills more people than breast, prostate, colon, liver ans kidney cancer combined. As incredible as this sounds, it's a fact and you can research it yourself. Each year, in USA alone more people who have never smoked in their lives die from lung cancer than from AIDS. Approximately 220,000 Americans were diagnosed with lung cancer last year out of which 160,000 died. It's also considered a modern epidemic in women, killing more women than breast cancer, almost two times as many.

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Periodical x-rays and constant monitoring of our health state, especially if risk factors for lung cancer are present in our lives, are essential and can be very successful in preventing the onset of lung cancer. Now that you are more familiar with the subject what would you conclude by looking at your own life and healht state? Being self-reflexive is essential after anything new that your read about.

http://i-lungcancer.com/category/lung-cancer/

http://www.nationallungcancerpartnership.org/index.cfm?page=lung_cancer_facts_US

http://jglcf.org/lungcancer.aspx

Brain radiation for lung cancer

Published on Jun 21 2010, in the categories: lung cancer

More and more studies encourage the use of preventative radiation therapy to the brain in the case of non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer and it is also the deadliest cancer out there. The main reason for this is the fact that lung cancer is rarely diagnosed in an early stage. Because it shows very few distinct symptoms before it becomes invasive, it is usually detected only after it has become invasive and even metastatic. The more advanced the stage, the fewer chances to cure the cancer and the fewer options for a viable treatment, a lot of research is being done to improve diagnosis and treatment and brain radiation has been shown to reduce risks for cancer to reach metastasis, meaning to spread to other organs in the body.
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More and more studies encourage the use of preventative radiation therapy to the brain in the case of non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer and it is also the deadliest cancer out there. The main reason for this is the fact that lung cancer is rarely diagnosed in an early stage. Because it shows very few distinct symptoms before it becomes invasive, it is usually detected only after it has become invasive and even metastatic.

The more advanced the stage, the fewer chances to cure the cancer and the fewer options for a viable treatment, A lot of research is being done to improve diagnosis and treatment and brain radiation has been shown to reduce risks for cancer to reach metastasis, meaning to spread to other organs in the body. With all the progress in treatment which prolong the patient's life, there's also an increased risk for the cancer to use this time to spread throughout the body. Prophylactic brain irradiation done in groups of patients who were studied for medical purposes was proven to reduce chances for brain metastasis and, actually, the patients that didn't undergo radiation were 2,5 times more likely to develop brain metastasis.

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This and other observations were made through a study conducted by a Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center as part of the National Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. This study was made in 2009 and since then their conclusions were confirmed by many other studies.

Moreover, at the 43rd annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, even more benefits were attributed to preventive brain radiation. This type of treatment is claimed to reduce the risk of metastasis as well as to improve survival and all these without harming the quality of life for the patient. This type of radiation is very well tolerated and side effects can easily be kept to a minimum. Headache and nausea can be experienced as well as fatigue, but none too intense.

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Another study has led to some very encouraging statistics as from a group of patients studied 14% of those receiving radiation didn't develop metastasis to the brain, whereas from the other group as much as 40% reported brain involvement. Brain irradiation was also proven to actually significantly improve survival. The 1-year survival rate for the group receiving radiation was 27,1% while for the other group it was only 13,3%. This is a considerable progress and at present, preventative radiation of the cranium should be part of the standard treatment for all patients with advanced small-cell lung cancer as well as limited or advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Of course that this type of treatment should be just a part of a treatment plan including other procedures as surgery or chemotherapy or whatever the doctor thinks is necessary.

With all the progress in treatment which prolong the patient's life, there's also an increased risk for the cancer to use this time to spread throughout the body. Prophylactic brain irradiation done in groups of patients who were studied for medical purposes was proven to reduce chances for brain metastasis and, actually, the patients that didn't undergo radiation were 2,5 times more likely to develop brain metastasis.

This and other observations were made through a study conducted by a Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center as part of the National Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. This study was made in 2009 and since then their conclusions were confirmed by many other studies.

Moreover, at the 43rd annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, even more benefits were attributed to preventive brain radiation. This type of treatment is claimed to reduce the risk of metastasis as well as to improve survival and all these without harming the quality of life for the patient. This type of radiation is very well tolerated and side effects can easily be kept to a minimum. Headache and nausea can be experienced as well as fatigue, but none too intense.

Another study has led to some very encouraging statistics as from a group of patients studied 14% of those receiving radiation didn't develop metastasis to the brain, whereas from the other group as much as 40% reported brain involvement. Brain irradiation was also proven to actually significantly improve survival. The 1-year survival rate for the group receiving radiation was 27,1% while for the other group it was only 13,3%. This is a considerable progress and at present, preventative radiation of the cranium should be part of the standard treatment for all patients with advanced small-cell lung cancer as well as limited or advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Of course that this type of treatment should be just a part of a treatment plan including other procedures as surgery or chemotherapy or whatever the doctor thinks is necessary.

Famous people who have struggled with lung cancer

Published on Jun 18 2010, in the categories: lung cancer

Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer out there and nobody is safe from developing it, not even celebrities. As godlike as they may appear sometimes, they are flesh and bones just like common folk and sometimes they are even more exposed to developing certain illnesses. This is especially the case if these affections are related to certain bad lifestyle choices celebrities tend to make. Excessive smoking, no consideration for long-term health state and coping with continuous attention can lead to very serious complications like lung cancer.

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This is caused by an out of control growth of the cells in the lung tissue and as these divide and grow they can group into solid masses called tumors. These can later have cells break away and travel to other parts of the body. By this stage the cancer is most likely to result in death. Risk factors for lung cancer include smoking, passive smoking, family history with lung cancer and exposure to asbestos or radon. For most celebrities smoking has weighed the most in causing lung cancer. This habit is very common among celebrities and there aren't any signs of this changing any time soon.

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Let's take a look at some of the celebrities who have struggled with lung cancer and let's try and learn from their mistakes. These celebrities include: Nat King Cole, Steve McQueen, Jack Cassidy, Roger Marris, Betty Grable, Bob Marley, Walt Disney and the list could go on. Gary Cooper and Duke Ellington are just another names that can make you understand the impact lung cancer has also had on American performance art and music.

If this list of famous people has baffled you, remember that another 170,000 people are probably being diagnosed every year with lung cancer. Let these people serve as an example and teach us about our vulnerability and responsibility towards ourselves and our health. Sometimes these cases of celebrities being beaten down by certain diseases can really raise awareness and make people finally take the prevention measures to which they always had access but had failed to realize their importance. Simply feeling sorry for a celebrity's conditions through intense mediatization, can trigger a more careful monitoring and reevaluation of your own health state.

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A recent case that has been brought to the lime light is that of Dane Reeve, American singer and actress. She was also the wife of Christopher Reeve. In August 2005 she was diagnosed with lung cancer though she had never smoked in her life. Soon enough, after just one year, she died. She was only 44 years old, after announcing having achieved considerable progress with shrinking therapies.

This is just one example of tragic effects that lung cancer can have on an entire community and though famous people make it more visible, the true tragedy is only complete when you realize how many other people have gone through the same thing.

Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Published on Jun 15 2010, in the categories: cells, lung cancer

Lung cancer is a type of cancer that is very widespread at present and believe it or not for quite a while now it is the number one cancer killer. It account for more deaths that colon, prostate and breast cancer put together but remains one of the cancers with the least amount of funding directed at it.
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This cancer starts in the lung and can spread to other parts of the body or through the lymph system. Lung cancer takes more years to develop and, unfortunately, it shows few to none at all signs of its presence. In the beginning, whether it starts in the lining of the bronchi or other parts of the lung, areas of precancerous changes occur and are not yet a tumor. Though they don't manifest themselves through any symptoms you can still see them on an x-ray. Slowly but surely the precancerous formations develop into a solid mass, the malign tumor. Later on, cancer cells can break away and spread to other parts of the body through a process called metastasis. By this time the tumor is inoperable and chances for survival are down to a minimum. Unfortunately most lung cancers are diagnosed in a very late stage.

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The stage and the type of the cancer are the most important factors in deciding on the treatment and making a prognosis about life expectancy or chances for survival. There are 2 main types of lung cancer which call for different treatment: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.

Most of lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancers. Actually up to 9 cases out of ten are non-small cell lung cancer. This type can be divided into other three types: squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large-cell carcinoma.

Most common symptoms for non-small cell lung cancers include: a persistent cough, trouble breathing, wheezing, coughing up blood, hoarseness, appetite loss, weight loss and feeling tired. These should make you immediately seek a doctor's attention or scheduling for an x-ray to confirm diagnosis and get started on the treatment as soon as possible.

Many treatment options are available but for very few non-small cell lung cancer these can actually offer a cure. The stage weighs the most in the effectiveness of the treatment so if you are lucky enough to detect the cancer early you can have better chances for survival. Clinical trials are also an alternative for standard treatment that can offer very good results.

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Testing the tissue and establishing the extensiveness of the disease must preceed any treatment. The aim is to remove or shrink the tumor as much as possible. Sometimes all that can be done is administer palliative therapies to alleviate symptoms and side-effects from chemo or radiation therapy.