Lung Cancer Symptoms

When symptoms occur, lung cancer is often advanced. Warning signs include:

• Chronic cough
• Persistent cough
• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood
• An increase in mucous production
• Wheezing (Noisy breathing)
• Shortness of breath
• Bronchitis
• Hoarseness
• Pneumonia
• Weight loss & loss of appetite

If you smoke or have been a smoker you are in a high risk category. Bear in mind these are also characteristic signs of many other lung problems. So the best advice would be to see a doctor to find out the cause.

Tests and Diagnosis

Lung cancer can be readily identified by a simple chest x-ray, or a more specialised type of x-ray known as a CT scan. So if you are concerned, ASK for one.

When you go for a doctor's examination, you are likely to be asked many questions about your medical history, including questions about possible exposure to hazardous substances. Other leading causes of lung cancer are work related exposures - through substances like asbestos, uranium, arsenic, and certain petroleum products.

Further tests and biopsies (samples taking) may be necessary. For example is you are experiencing increased mucuos production.

If cancer is found, it may not always be curable, but every cancer is treatable. If left untreated however, it can spread to the brain, liver, bone, and lymph nodes.

Lung Cancer Treatment

Treatment for lung cancer will vary from person to person depedending on a variety of factors:

• Current health
• Type, size and location of cancer
• Whether or not tumor has spread

The most effective treatment plans for lung cancer related to smoking normally start with anaction plan to quit smoking.

• Quitting removes the major cause of the cancer and makes both treatment and prevention of new cancer development more effective.
• Quit smoking products and aids can help: Zyban, Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT).

After quitting smoking, standard curative treatment is the next step. These are: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of these methods, called combination therapy.

Surgery

Surgery is generally used in limited stages of disease and may cure lung cancer by removing the tumour and relieving it's symptoms. The extent of the surgery may involve removing part of a lobe, a whole lobe, or the entire lung.

Some tumors cannot be removed because of their size or location.

Radiation Therapy

This is a form of external x-ray that kills cancer cells. It is used to relieve pain and tumour symptoms and eliminate or decrease the size of the tumor itself.

Chemotherapy is the use of medication, to decrease the size of tumor or eliminate cancer. Treatment may be in the form of pills, injections or catheter (drip).

The end result of these treatments is largely beneficial. Unfortunately there are likely to be side effects. You should consult your doctor to see which are most likely to affect you.

Prevention

• QUIT SMOKING. STOP!.
• As we have seen - cigarette smoke is THE major cause of lung cancer (primary carcinoma of the lung).
• If you are a non-smoker, speak up for a smoke-free environment at home, work and  public places.
• Don't smoke - smoking increases your risk from many occupational exposures.
• How to quit smoking cigarettes.