Cancer Information

Archive for the ‘About Lung Cancer’ Category

Lung cancer occurs when there is an unusual growth of cells in the lung tissue growth, usually malignant, metastasis and proliferation may lead to other body tissues. This type of cancer is divided by the size and appearance of cells: small cell lung cancer and small cell.

The most common symptoms are usually shortness of breath, cough, including coughing up blood, weight loss, chest pain, hoarseness and swelling in the neck and face, among others.
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According to statistics involving all the world, lung cancer is the most kills: even more than breast, prostate, colon, skin and all the others together.

Unfortunately, often the diagnosis is made too late, and for this main reason about 85 percent of people who become ill end up dying from this cause within a period not exceeding five years.

In the United States, for example, and according to the Lung Cancer Alliance, this type of cancer last year has killed more than 160,300 people, or about 440 a day. For this reason, it is necessary to emphasize the need to prevent: and one of the main ways is to avoid smoking, or who already have a bad habit, you stop.

This need is also based on another key finding: according to the National Cancer Institute of the United States, 90 percent of deaths occur in cases in which smoking is directly responsible for the emergence and development of the lung disease.

For this reason, and although researchers and scientists from around the world try to find better ways to detect lung cancer and to establish the genetic warning signs or markers that people have a greater chance of developing this disease, doctors say snuff action against the principal and have proved but only effective weapon against this cancer so deadly.

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There are two main types of lung cancer: non-small lung cancer cell (or non-small) and small cell (or microcytic). The term “small cell” refers to the size and shape of cancer cells as seen under the microscope. Non-smal lung cancer cell originates in the epithelial cells and is the most common type. Lung cancer begins small cell in the nerve cells or hormone-producing cells.

Each of these types of lung cancer grows and spreads differently, and each requires a different treatment. It is therefore important to find out what type of lung cancer a person has to apply the appropriate treatment.

Once the malignant lung tumor begins to grow, it is possible that cancer cells detach. These detached cells can be transported by the blood or lymph. When a cancer cell is apparent from its place of origin and moves to a lymph node or to a distant part of the body through the bloodstream, and there starts to split and form new tumors, we say that the tumor because distant metastases, has metastasized. We then say that the patient has a cancer then spread, with metastatic cancer.

The lymph flows through tubes called lymphatic vessels that drain into a “collecting stations, lymph nodes, found in the lungs (around bronchi) in the center of the chest (mediastinum) and other body parts. The natural flow of lymph from the lungs is toward the center of the chest, which explains why lung cancer often spreads to there.

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Benign and malignant tumors are named for the spot of the tumor originates. Thus, lung cancer begins to develop in the lungs. Some malignant tumors originate elsewhere in the body and spread to the lungs. Are lung metastases. But in this case are not lung cancer itself: keep the name of their place of origin. For example, breast cancer may give lung metastases, but still called breast cancer.

Over 80% of lung cancer cases arising from the use of snuff. But although the snuff is the leading cause and responsible for most cases, anyone can develop lung cancer.

Lung cancer is always treatable, regardless of size, location and extent of spread. It is believed that lung cancer develops over many years, now is time to grow when the symptoms begin to appear that will lead to a diagnosis.

The lungs contain many different cell types. Most of the lung are epithelial cells, a variety of cells that line the airways. The lungs also contain other types of cells such as nerve cells, producing hormones and structural or supporting cells.

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Lung cancer is one of the most serious diseases and one of the most common cancers in humans. In Spain, is a cancer that causes more deaths in men (and ranks third in mortality from cancer in women).

Benign and malignant tumors are named for the spot of the tumor originates. Thus, lung cancer begins to develop in the lungs.

Some malignant tumors originate elsewhere in the body and spread to the lungs. Are lung metastases. But in this case are not lung cancer itself: keep the name of their place of origin. For example, colon cancer can give lung metastases and liver metastases, but still called colon cancer.

Most malignant lung tumors (or cancer) begins in the layer covering the bronchi, although less often arise in other locations, such as the trachea, bronchioles, or alveoli.

The content and articles of this website are written for patients and their families are our proposal to transfer the latest knowledge and advances in science in this disease affected people in simple language that is understandable. These articles in no way intended to replace your doctor, but in any case to help better understand and provide the affected person support at this very difficult to cope with the diagnosis of lung cancer.

Lung cancer accounts for 13.4% of new cancer casesand is the most common cause of cancer mortality, is the most common in the developed world. In Spain, lung cancer is the cause of death of 8.3% of the Spanish (1 in 12 men die from lung cancer in Spain) and 1.3% of women. More people die due to lung cancer than breast cancer, colon and prostate cancers combined. Specifically in our country are diagnosed 19,000 new cases of lung cancer each year.

The number of men who die of this cancer are declining in North America because there are more quitters.
The American woman has grown since 1950, mortality for this cancer, by 550%. This proportion is lower in Spain because she belatedly started smoking more generally.

In the UK and the U.S., lung cancer causes more deaths than breast cancer since 1987. In North America, 150,000 women die each year from diseases related to snuff, of these 41,000, die from lung cancer and 10,000 for other cancers. This year there will be about 169,000 new cases of lung cancer deaths.

The survival rate at one year (time during which no disease) in 1995, is 41%. This percentage fell to 14% when it comes to five-year survival. This rate increases to 42% if the cancer is detected early.

90% of people with this disease are smokers, while only 5-10% of smokers with cancer, your chances of developing the disease are fifteen times higher than in nonsmokers.

Cells are the smallest living units of the human body. One function is to reproduce and die when no longer useful. This process is very neat, in time and space, so there is always that allows the appropriate number of cells for each stage of life.

When this multiplication of cells occurs in an uncontrolled manner, forming lumps. These masses are called tumors.

There may be benign and malignant tumors. Benign tumors are those that do not spread to other areas and do not compromise a person’s life.

Malignant tumors often spread to other parts of the body and cause damage to body tissues and organs and can even cause death of the person.

Malignant cells can move through the lymph or blood and reach anywhere in the body causing a second tumor, called metastatic, because it is the first originated.

Lung cancer is an abnormal growth of lung cells. The disease usually occurs on the inner walls of the bronchi, and growing up can obstruct the airway and impair breathing. For this reason, generally produces shortness of breath, breathlessness and fatigue.

There are two main types of lung cancer: small cell cancer or small cell and non small cell cancer (non small or bronchogenic).