Facts About Lung Cancer

• According to the American Cancer Society, in 2008, 215,000 Americans learned they had lung cancer.
  
• Lung cancer is the second most common cancer found in both men and women.
  

Risk Factors for Lung Cancer

Smoking greatly increases your chances of developing lung cancer. Smoking leads to 85 to 90 percent of all lung cancers.

Other risk factors include exposure to second-hand smoke, radon, asbestos, air pollution and tuberculosis.

Quitting Smoking

The health benefits begin immediately after quitting smoking.

• Quitting smoking makes treatment more effective for people with lung cancer. It also reduces the risks of infections, improves breathing and reduces the risks associated with surgery.
• Talk to your doctor or visit www.smokefree.gov to learn how to quit.

Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer

Some indications of lung cancer include:

• Persistent cough.
  
• Coughing blood.
  
• Shortness of breath.
  
• Chest pain.
  
• Pneumonia or bronchitis.
  
• Swelling of the neck and face.
  
• Unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite or fatigue.

Some patients may not notice any symptoms.

Diagnosing Lung Cancer

• A chest X-ray will often show a lung tumor.
• CT scans and PET scans are often used to provide more detailed information.

To be certain if you have lung cancer, tissue from your lung will be removed to look for cancer cells. This is called a biopsy. The biopsy may be done during a bronchoscopy. During this test, a flexible tube with a light is inserted into your nose or mouth to look at the airways of the lungs. A biopsy may also be done with a thin needle inserted directly into the tumor through the skin.

Types of Lung Cancer

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

According to the American Cancer Society, about nine out of 10 cases of all lung cancers are the non-small cell type. There are three sub-types of NSCLC. The cells in these sub-types differ in size, shape, and chemical make-up.

• Squamous cell carcinoma: About 25 to 30 percent of all lung cancers are this kind. They are linked to smoking and tend to be found in the middle of the lungs, near a bronchus.
• Adenocarcinoma: This type accounts for about 40 percent of lung cancers. It is usually found in the outer part of the lung.
• Large-cell (undifferentiated) carcinoma: About 10 to 15 percent of lung cancers are this type. It can start in any part of the lung. It tends to grow and spread quickly, which makes it harder to treat.

Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)

• This cancer often starts in the bronchi near the center of the chest. Although the cancer cells are small, they can divide quickly, form large tumors, and spread to lymph nodes and other organs throughout the body. This is important because it means that surgery is rarely an option and never the only treatment given.
• This kind of cancer is almost always caused by smoking. It is very rare for someone who has never smoked to have small cell lung cancer.

Treatment of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer treatment depends on several factors, including the type and size of the cancer, its location and your overall health. Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the primary tools for treating lung cancer and may be used alone or in combination.

• Non-small cell lung cancer may be treated with radiation therapy, surgery and chemotherapy.
• Small cell lung cancer is usually treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

A team of doctors will help you decide on the best treatment for you. This team may include a radiation oncologist, a medical oncologist and a surgeon.

Additional Information