Cancer Information

Posts Tagged ‘the lung’

This cancer is one that takes more lives annually and affects people 40 and older. Since 85% of those who suffer are smokers, snuff is the major risk factor for developing it. Only one of every eight people who suffer are not smokers.

There are also other substances such as asbestos, uranium or radon is a colorless, odorless gas that builds up in homes and comes from the stoves, which are also risk factors for lung cancer.

Other risk factors include industrial pollution, smoke from factories or cars or hormonal factors of the person that make it more susceptible to developing it. A risk factor can also be the presence of scars in the lung, caused by surgery, bullets or knives.

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Overall, pleural tumors can not be removed surgically. It must treat the original cancer (primary). Depending on the type of primary cancer, radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be appropriate.

Therapeutic thoracentesis may be performed if fluid accumulation is large and causing pressure, shortness of breath or other breathing problems (such as low oxygen levels). Removing the fluid may allow the lung to expand more and can ease breathing difficulties.

To prevent fluid from building up again, sometimes medication will be placed in the thoracic space through a tube or a surgeon can insert a scope through a small incision in the chest wall to remove fluid (thoracoscopy). Then a drug is sprayed or powder on the surface to prevent lung cancer cells produce more fluid in the future.

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