| Cells are the building blocks of life. We understand | | | | type of lung cancer, known as mesothelioma, an |
| very well that cells grow, divide, and multiply with the | | | | occupational hazard among people who work around |
| need of the body to keep it hale and healthy. | | | | asbestos. |
| Occasionally the cells will divide among themselves | | | | Most people affected by lung cancer are over the |
| even though there is no need to multiply, and the | | | | age of fifty and are long-term smokers. Symptoms |
| mass of extra cells forms tumor or cancer. An | | | | can vary depending upon the location of the tumor |
| unchecked and rapid growth of lung cells is called lung | | | | within the lungs. Some common symptoms include |
| cancer. Lung cancer can be caught in two forms, | | | | chronic cough, chest pain, wheezing, and recurring |
| non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. | | | | lung infections. |
| Lung cancer has been categorized based upon the | | | | An experienced health care professional can diagnose |
| morphology of the cells as seen under a microscope. | | | | lung cancer based on symptoms, smoking history, |
| Each type of the lung cancer has its own method of | | | | medical history, earlier family history of lung cancer, |
| treatment since they spread in different ways. | | | | and exposure to occupational and environmental |
| The regularly occurring lung cancer is non-small lung | | | | materials. After the initial tests, an X-Ray can be |
| cancer, which grows and spreads slowly. The three | | | | used to make an affirmative diagnosis. Different |
| major kinds of non-small cell lung cancer are large cell | | | | tests are available to diagnose small cell or non-small |
| carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and squamous cell | | | | lung cancer and to gauge the stage of the cancer. |
| carcinoma. | | | | Medical professionals are also able to confirm whether |
| Small cell lung cancer is not as prevalent as non-small | | | | the cancer is localized within the lung or has spread |
| lung cancer. This type of lung cancer spreads rapidly | | | | to other parts of the body. |
| and may grow to affect other organs in the body. | | | | Treatment of lung cancer may be done by |
| Oat cell cancer is another term used to describe this | | | | chemotherapy (cancer cells can be eliminated by |
| disease. | | | | medications), radiation therapy (eliminating the cancer |
| Recently lung cancer has been recognized as the | | | | cells by high-dose X-rays or other high-energy rays), |
| deadliest form of cancer in many developed nations, | | | | or surgery (cancer removal). Treatment of advanced |
| including the USA where 170,000 people die from the | | | | stage lung cancer is considered difficult with |
| disease each year. Even though lung changes start | | | | moderate success rate in early stage treatment. |
| almost immediately upon exposure to carcinogens, | | | | As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth |
| lung cancer takes years together to develop. | | | | a pound of cure. If you smoke, protect yourself |
| Inhaling the carcinogens found in cigarette smoke is | | | | from lung cancer by butting out for good. If you quit |
| the main cause of the lung in smokers and | | | | smoking now, you can gradually decrease your risk |
| non-smokers alike. When there is an environmental | | | | of cancer over the next 10 to 15 years as your lungs |
| exposure to radon compounded with smoking, the | | | | recover. |
| risk of lung cancer greatly increases. There is another | | | | |