Lung cancer, like all cancers, is a result from an abnormal cell, the most basic unit of life. Normally, the body maintain a system of checks and balances on cell growth, so that cells divide to produce new cells as needed. The interruption of balance system of uncontrolled cell growth and eventually form a mass called a tumor.
Tumors can be benign or malignant, and malignant tumor is called cancer. Benign tumors can usually be removed and not spread to other body parts. Malignant tumors, on the other hand, grow aggressively and invade other body tissues, so that the tumor cells into bloodstream or lymphatic system and then into inside the body. Deployment process is called metastasis.
Since lung cancer likely to spread or metastasize, then it is very threatening. Lung cancer can spread to any organ in the body, especially the adrenal glands, liver, brain, and bones. This cancer is also one of the most difficult cancers to treat. The lungs are also organ most frequently affected by tumors in other body parts.
The cause of lung cancer
The main cause of lung cancer is smoking both as active smokers or passive smokers. While other causes of contamination of the surrounding air by a substance asbestos, air pollution by combustion or fumes including cigarette smoke.
Symptoms of lung cancer
Cancer does not show any symptoms visible from outside if the cell growth has not been worse. As many as 25% from patients with lung cancer, symptoms are known after they routinely perform chest X-ray or CT scan. If there is proven lung cancer then it would seem like a small circle of coins.
Symptoms associated with lung cancer among other respiratory disorders that cause symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain, and coughing up blood (haemoptysis).
If the cancer has invaded nerves, for example, can cause shoulder pain that moves on the outside arm (called Pancoast's syndrome) or vocal cord paralysis causes hoarseness. Invasion of the esophagus can cause difficulty swallowing (dysphagia). If breathing is blocked, causing an infection (abscess, pneumonia) in the obstructed area.
Symptoms related to metastasis: Lung cancer that has spread to bone may produce excruciating pain in the bones. While the cancer that has spread to the brain can cause a number of neurological symptoms such as blurred vision, headaches, seizures, or stroke symptoms such as weakness or loss sensation in parts of the body.
Treatment of lung cancer
Treatment for lung cancer may involve surgical removal of cancer, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy, as well as combinations from these treatments. Decisions about treatment will be feasible for a particular individual should take into account the localization and extent of tumors and overall patient health status.
