Lung Cancer

By: Andrew Seibert, MD

 

Lung cancer is the top cause of cancer deaths in both men and women. But this wasn't always the case. Prior to the widespread use of mechanical cigarette rollers, lung cancer was rare. Today, smoking causes nearly nine out of 10 lung cancer deaths, while radon gas, pollution, and other chemical exposures play a smaller role. Newly-developed drugs provide new hope for those diagnosed today.

 Cigarettes are not only packed with cancer-causing chemicals – they also disarm the lungs' natural defense system. The airways are lined with tiny hairs known as cilia. These hairs protect the lungs by sweeping out toxins, bacteria, and viruses. Tobacco smoke paralyzes the cilia so they can't do their job. This allows carcinogens to collect in the lungs.

Lung Cancer Symptoms

Lung cancer begins in stealth mode. There are usually no symptoms or warning signs in the early stages. As it progresses, symptoms are typically non-specific and may include:

• A cough that won't go away.
• Chest pain, especially during deep breaths.
• Wheezing or shortness of breath.
• Coughing up bloody phlegm.

Lung Cancer Screening

Can lung cancer be found early? A type of scan called spiral CT has shown promise in picking up early lung cancers in some people, but it's not clear whether it finds them early enough to save lives. The National Cancer Institute is currently evaluating the test's usefulness. One drawback is that spiral CT reveals a lot of harmless abnormalities in the lungs, which can lead to unnecessary biopsies, worry, and surgeries.

In most cases, lung cancer is not suspected until it causes symptoms like a chronic cough or wheezing. At that point, your doctor will most likely order a chest X-ray and/or other imaging tests. You may also be asked to cough up phlegm for a sputum test. If either of these tests suggest the presence of cancer, you'll most likely undergo a biopsy.

Being diagnosed with lung cancer can be a shock, and if it's linked to smoking, you may suffer from guilt as well. But now is not the time to blame yourself. Instead, experts recommend looking forward. It's not too late to make healthy changes to your lifestyle. There's evidence that patients who quit smoking after learning they have lung cancer do better than those who keep smoking.

Lung Cancer Prevention

Lung cancer may be one of the deadliest forms of cancer, but it's also one of the most preventable. In two words: don't smoke. And if you do, get the help you need to quit. Within five years of quitting, your risk of dying from lung cancer will drop to half that of someone who smokes a pack a day. And 10 years after quitting, your odds of dying from lung cancer will be virtually the same as if you had never smoked.