Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. It is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States. Cigarette smoking causes most lung cancers. A greater number of cigarettes they smoke daily newspapers and the younger you start smoking, the greater the risk of developing lung cancer. Exposure to high levels of pollution, radiation and asbestos can also increase the risk.

Common symptoms of lung cancer include:

1. A cough that does not go away and worsens over time
2. Constant chest pain
3. Cough with bloody sputum
4. Shortness of breath, wheezing or hoarseness
5. Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis
6. Loss of appetite or weight loss
7. Fatigue

There are many types of lung cancer. Each grows and spreads differently and treated differently. Treatment also depends on the stage or how far along you are. Treatment can include chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.

Only 15 to 20% of lung cancers are detected in its early stages because the symptoms are delayed. In many cases the diagnosis is usually incidental, that is, by medical evidence that you had another purpose. When diagnosed with lung cancer, additional tests are performed to evaluate different tumor stage (if the initial or advanced) as well as lung capacity and general condition.

The prognosis and treatment depend on the size and the extent of having cancer (stage), and the histologic type of tumor. The surgery involves removing the lung area containing the tumor (lung lobe) and lymph nodes in the chest and is the treatment of choice in the early stages of the disease. Chemotherapy involves using drugs to kill cancer cells and radiation therapy using high energy X rays. These last two treatments are used in more advanced stages or in patients which can not be performed surgery.

How can detect early stage lung cancer?
An early-stage lung cancer can be diagnosed early by detecting a lung nodule in chest x-ray or a CT scan. Latter being much more sensitive and accurate. Lung nodules can be benign (infections, scars or benign) or represent an early stage lung cancer. The importance of early diagnosis is that surgery in early stages is the only treatment that can cure lung cancer.

Lung cancer tends to be very quiet, so that symptoms appear when the disease is at an advanced stage. These are:

* Chronic cough.
* Coughing up blood.
* Obstruction of the bronchi.

* Shortness of breath.
* Chest pain.
* Pale.
* A table held at the time, there may be weight loss poor appetite.

Diagnosis

The doctor does a complete physical examination. If there is productive cough, sputum can be analyzed to see if it contains cancer cells. However, the first test to detect abnormalities in the lung is usually the chest radiograph. In the case of suspicion of malignancy, the specialist can perform a bronchoscopy to look inside the bronchial tubes and lungs and at the same time, remove a sample of tissue for biopsy

These symptoms may be caused by cancer or other conditions. It is important to consult a doctor.

Non-small cell lung Cancer Treatment
Patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer can be treated in several ways. The choice of treatment depends mainly on the size, location and grade of tumor. Surgery is the most common way to treat this type of lung cancer. Cryosurgery, a treatment that freezes and destroys cancer tissue, can be used to control symptoms in stages (stages) of lung cancer last non-small cell. Radiation and chemotherapy can also be used to slow the progression of the disease and to control symptoms.

Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment
Lung cancer small cell spreads quickly. In many cases, cancer cells have already spread to other parts of the body when diagnosed. To reach cancer cells throughout the body, doctors almost always use chemotherapy. Treatment may also include radiation therapy to the tumor in the lung or tumors in other parts of the body (as in the brain). Some patients receive radiation therapy to the brain even when cancer is not there. This treatment, called prophylactic cranial irradiation was given to prevent tumors from forming in the brain. Surgery is part of the treatment plan for a small number of patients with lung cancer small cell.

The symptoms of lung cancer does not usually appear in the early stages of lung cancer but arise when it has already spread too much to increase the chance of cure. In fact, since that occurs the first malignant cell until a person consult a doctor first before symptoms of the disease can take many years.

Among the most common symptoms are:

- Persistent cough.
- Chest pain that increases with breathing.
- Loss of weight and appetite.
- Shortness of breath.
- Wheezing or whistling.
- Spitting up blood or redness (mucus).