Description of lung cancer
Cancer occurs, when the body's cells start to randomly share. The result is a mass of tissue, called a growth or tumor. The term cancer refers to malignant Tumors, that can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body.
Lung cancer is a disease, in which cancer cells grow in the lungs. There are two types of lung cancer:
- Немелкоклеточный рак легкого – как правило, It grows and spreads more slowly (a common form of lung cancer);
- Мелкоклеточный рак легкого – как правило, It is growing faster, and often spreads to other parts of the body.
Causes Lung Cancer
Causes, that may cause damage to cells in the lungs and lung cancer:
- Inhaling cigarette smoke, cigar or pipe;
- Exposure to asbestos (mineral) or radon (radioactive gas).
Risk factors for lung cancer
Factors, which increases the risk of lung cancer:
- Smoking;
- Chewing tobacco;
- Exposure to tobacco smoke;
- Exposure to asbestos or radon;
- The presence of lung disease, such as tuberculosis;
- Family or personal history of lung cancer;
- Effects of certain air pollutants;
- Exposure to coal dust;
- Radiation therapy, which is used to treat other types of cancer;
- HIV infection.
Symptoms of Lung Cancer
Symptoms of lung cancer may include:
- Cough, which does not pass and deteriorates over time;
- Persistent chest pain;
- Coughing up blood;
- Breathlessness, wheezing, or hoarseness;
- Частая пневмония или бронхит;
- Swelling of the face and neck;
- Loss of appetite or weight loss;
- Fatigue.
Diagnosis of Lung Cancer
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical examination. He also asked about the following:
- Do you smoke and how long?
- If you contact you with harmful substances?
- It was lung cancer in the family or with relatives?
Tests may include:
- Рентген грудной клетки – тест, which uses X-rays, to take a picture of structures inside the body;
- Цитология мокроты – тест, which analyzes a sample of mucus from the lungs;
- Спиральная компьютерная томография – специальный тип рентгена легких;
- Биопсия легких – удаление образца ткани легкого для проверки на наличие раковых клеток.
Other diagnostic methods include:
- ПЭТ – снимки выполняются с помощью небольшого количества радиоактивного вещества, which is introduced into the organism;
- ПЭТ/КТ – тест, который сочетает ПЭТ и компьютерную томографию (type of X-ray, which uses computer, to make pictures of organs inside the body);
- Сканирование костей – тест, that defines the area to increase or decrease the activity of bone cells.
Treatment of Lung Cancer
After lung cancer detection survey is conducted, allowing to determine the extent and scope of cancer. The goal of treatment is to eliminate the cancer and / or control of the symptoms of the disease.
Operation lung cancer
The operation consists in removing the tumor and nearby fabrics. Sometimes lymph nodes should also be removed. Type of surgery depends on the location of the tumor:
- Сегментная или клиновидная резекция – удаление только небольшой части легких;
- Лобэктомия – удаление всей доли легкого;
- Пневмонэктомия – удаление всего легкого.
Radiation therapy for lung cancer
Лучевая терапия – использование радиационого излучения, allowing you to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. The procedure can also be used to alleviate symptoms, such as shortness of breath. For the treatment of lung cancer is commonly used external irradiation, wherein the radiation is directed at the tumor from a source outside the body.
Chemotherapy for lung cancer
Химиотерапия – использование лекарственных препаратов для уничтожения раковых клеток. Preparations for the chemotherapy may be given in various forms: tablets, injection, the introduction of a catheter. The drugs enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, killing mostly cancer, and also some healthy cells.
New Treatments For Lung Cancer
Researchers continue to study ways to treat lung cancer. The most promising methods of treatment are as follows:
- Фотодинамическая терапия – тип лазерной терапии. The chemical injected into the bloodstream, whereupon it is absorbed by cells in the body. Because normal cells reagent appears fairly quickly, but it accumulates in cancer cells. Exposure to the laser activates the substance, and it kills cancer cells. This method of treatment can also be used to reduce the symptoms of lung cancer.
- Криохирургия – метод лечения, in which cancer tissue frozen and destroyed
Other promising methods of treatment include:
- Целевая терапия – включает в себя использование лекарственных средств или веществ, affecting certain molecules in cancer cells;
- Иммунотерапия – включает в себя использование лекарственных средств или веществ, produced by the body, that allows you to increase or restore the body's natural defenses against cancer
If you are diagnosed with lung cancer, Follow your doctor's instructions.
Prevention of Lung Cancer
To reduce the risk of developing lung cancer:
- Do not start smoking. If you smoke, try to quit;
- Avoid concentrations of smokers;
- Check your home for radon and asbestos. It is necessary to remove these substances from the house;
- Do not work in places where asbestos.
Рекомендуется выполнять скрининг на рак легких с помощью КТ, If you are a smoker (or former smoker), aged 55-74 years, or if you are a heavy smoker (eg, smokes one pack of cigarettes per day for 30 years).