| Lung cancer occurs when abnormal cells begin to | | | | - Fever |
| reproduce and attack the tissues of the lungs. | | | | - Loss of appetite and weight loss (anorexia) |
| That's the plain and simple explanation. Here's a short | | | | - Hoarse voice |
| expansion: in its normal life, a cell will grow, divide, | | | | Other symptoms can include repeated bouts of |
| proliferate and then die, all the while meeting the | | | | pneumonia, changes in the shape of the fingertips, |
| needs of your body. When one or more of these | | | | and swollen or enlarged lymph nodes (glands) in the |
| cells begin to reproduce on their own, without serving | | | | upper chest and lower neck. Any and all of these |
| their original purpose within the body, they form a | | | | symptoms may be caused by lung cancer or by a |
| tumor or a cancer. This is a mutation that | | | | range of other medical conditions. That is, the |
| researchers don't fully understand. Left unchecked, | | | | presence of one or more of these symptoms does |
| the cells will continue to reproduce and spread | | | | not automatically mean that you have lung cancer. |
| throughout the lung's tissue and then into the other | | | | Which is why you need to visit with your physician if |
| vital organs of the body. | | | | you have any concerns at all. |
| In 2004, the last year in which statistics were | | | | Forms of Lung Cancer |
| available at the time of the writing of this article, | | | | The two primary forms of lung cancer are small cell |
| approximately 158,000 US citizens died from lung | | | | lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer |
| cancer, more than breast cancer, colon cancer, and | | | | (NSCLC). |
| prostrate cancer combined. While the numbers | | | | Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for approximately |
| continue to drop every year as new strides are | | | | 80% of diagnosed lung cancer cases. Within this |
| made in treating the disease and educating people, | | | | category of lung cancer, there are three main |
| this is still represents a major health problem. | | | | sub-categories ... squamous cell carcinoma, |
| The primary cause of most lung cancers is ... | | | | adenocarcinomas, and large cell carcinomas. |
| Yes, you guessed it ... cigarette smoking. Or more | | | | Sometimes two or even all three can appear |
| precisely, the inhalation of the carcinogens contained | | | | together. |
| within the smoke. If a smoker is also exposed to | | | | Small cell lung cancer is the less common of the two, |
| radon in the environment, well, that's a ticking time | | | | which is good, because it's also the more deadly. |
| bomb waiting to go off. Beyond these two | | | | Smoking is the primary cause behind this form of lung |
| contributors, there is a form of lung cancer called | | | | cancer. SCLC is aggressive and fast-moving. It rapidly |
| mesothelioma, which results from exposure to | | | | metastasizes to other organs, and is often not |
| asbestos. However, cigarette smoke continues to be | | | | discovered until the cancer is already widespread |
| the major causes behind most forms of lung cancer. | | | | throughout the body. |
| Lung Cancer Symptoms | | | | The Good News |
| Here are few things to be looking for if you're | | | | Since prevention is always better than cure, it's highly |
| concerned about the potential for lung cancer: | | | | advisable to avoid the use tobacco. The best way to |
| - Fatigue | | | | increase your odds of never encountering lung cancer |
| - Shortness of breath and wheezing (dyspnoea) | | | | is to never start smoking in the first place. However, |
| - A cough that doesn't go away and gets worse | | | | if it's already too late for you, there's still some good |
| over time | | | | news. You can gradually decrease your risk of the |
| - Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis | | | | disease if you quit at any early age and your lungs |
| - Constant chest pain | | | | are given 10 to 15 years to recover from the |
| - Coughing up blood (bloody sputum) (haemoptysis) | | | | damage already imparted upon them. |
| - Swelling of the neck and face | | | | |