What is lung cancer

Lung cancer use to be the leading cause of cancer deaths in American men only, but since 1988, women have caught up with men and since then lung cancer is leading cause of cancer deaths in women as well. Well over 170,000 cases of lung cancers are diagnosed in the United States each year. Very few fortunate ones get cured from this miserable disease. About 157,000 people die as the direct result of lung cancer.

The lung cancer is divided into two main types. There are non small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. This is lethal especially when the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lungs has already spread to the other organs in the body. Cancerous cells can break down and can spread in other parts of the body by forming secondary tumor sites, when the tumor is already on its advanced stage, managing it is somewhat harder.

Nine out of ten people who develop lung cancer are smokers and the bad news is that the diagnoses of lung cancer are rising. Smoking tobacco is the main culprit behind lung cancer (or behind increasing the risk of lung cancer). A new study finds tobacco may act as an environmental trigger for patients with an inherited genetic predisposition to pancreatic cancer. Even passive smoking can slightly increase the risk of lung cancer. People working in industries which involve extensive use of asbestos, radon gas and other chemical substances/fumes are also at a greater risk of lung cancer. However, some lung cancers arise in the absence of these risk factors.

About 25 percent of people with lung cancer report no symptoms at the time of diagnosis. Treatment for any cancer will depend on the type of cancer; the size, location, and stage of the disease; the person's general health; and other factors.