| Lung cancer is generally divided into two main | | | | utilized for treatment. The five year survival rate for |
| categories; small cell and non small cell. The small cell | | | | non small cell lung cancer, if it is caught in the early |
| lung cancer is further divided into several additional | | | | stages, is greater than 50 percent. However, if it has |
| subcategories. The vast majority (approximately 80 | | | | reached the advanced stages, the survival rate drops |
| percent) of people diagnosed have non small cell lung | | | | to a depressing two percent. |
| cancer. | | | | The good news, non small cell lung cancer is not as |
| Symptoms of non small cell lung cancer include | | | | aggressive as small cell lung cancer, if a person has |
| breathlessness, chest pain, coughing up blood, fatigue, | | | | been diagnosed wtih that, they are lucky to survive |
| fever and weight loss, and is usually diagnosed by | | | | two to four months. |
| imaging, lung biopsy, and/or blood tests. These | | | | Approximately 25 percent of the time, there are no |
| symptoms normally do not manifest themselves until | | | | symptoms in the patient, and the cancer is detected |
| the disease has become widespread, making the | | | | during a routine screening. However, in 75 percent of |
| treatment much more difficult. | | | | the cases, there are symptoms that are present. |
| Depending on which type of non small cell lung cancer | | | | So if you, or a loved one, have any of the common |
| is present, the stage it is in, the exact location of the | | | | symptoms, shortness of breath, coughing up blood, |
| cancerous mass, the number and type of symptoms | | | | fatigue, chest pain or unexplained weight loss, |
| present and the overall patient health will determine | | | | schedule an appointment with your family physician, |
| the outcome of the treatment. | | | | he can run the necessary tests to determine what |
| If the disease is caught early, it can be treated by | | | | you are suffering from. Remember, the odds of |
| surgery and the odds of defeating it are pretty good. | | | | defeating this disease are much better the earlier |
| Once it spreads to the surrounding chest tissues and | | | | that you are diagnosed. |
| the lymph nodes, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are | | | | |