Is Lung Cancer Curable?

As you know, our lungs are the most vital organs of our body. It absorbs oxygen from the air and distributes it to different parts of our body; it also expels carbon dioxide from our body into the air. When however, malignant cells develop in our lungs, we suffer from lung cancer.In this article I will tell you whether lung cancer is curable or not.

Needless to say, the primary cause behind lung cancer is smoking. It is sad that even after a lot of government-sponsored propaganda against smoking and its ill-effects, people continue their smoking habits, without realizing how much they are damaging their bodies. And if you think that you only need to stop smoking in order to cure lung cancer, you are dead wrong! Along with abstaining from smoking yourself, you should also try to live and work in a smoke-free environment. This is because passive smoking can also affect your lungs as much as active smoking does.

There are many different symptoms of lung cancer. If you are coughing frequently, with so much pressure that blood is coming out of your lungs, then in all probability you are suffering from lung cancer. Also, if you are having difficulty in breathing, then too it is possible that you are suffering from lung cancer. However, mere occurrence of these symptoms should not lead you to believe that you have lung cancer. I'd suggest you consult with a professional doctor because only a qualified doctor can tell you whether you are suffering from lung cancer or not.

In order to diagnose lung cancer, your doctor will ask you to go through different types of tests. The common tests that are used to diagnose lung cancer are x-ray, sputum test, CT scans and biopsies.

And it is really easy to cure lung cancer. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the two ways to cure lung cancer. Mostly, doctors use a combination of both the therapies in order to cure lung cancer. In some cases, surgery maybe used instead of radiation, especially if cancer has not spread beyond the lungs of the patient. However, these treatments are quite costly. So if you are not yet a lung cancer sufferer I'd recommend that you take immediate steps to prevent it. And the first step to prevent lung cancer is to stop smoking.

Facts..

Lung cancer is an often silent and deadly killer. It is the number one disease killing Americans. And more people die from this type of cancer than any other kind of cancer; breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney and melanoma, combined. So far, this year, there are already 215 thousand new cases. One of the big problems with this disease is that in most cases it is not diagnosed at their earliest, most curable stage. Most people are diagnosed so late that it's of no help to the patient, who often dies from it within a year.

The Lung Cancer Alliance tells us that it begins in the tissues of the lungs, most usually in the cells lining or the air passages and that the two main types are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.

There are several factors believed to lead to this type of cancer:

1. Increasing age - it doesn't strike as frequently in people under age 40. The numbers are slightly higher after age 45, then there is a larger jump in people over the age of 65.

2. Smoking - the most important risk factor in the development of lung cancer. Cigarettes expose the body to more than 4-thousand different dangerous chemicals. The Centers for Disease Control says that about 85-percent of all lung cancers in the U.S. are in people who currently smoke or who have smoked in the past. They note that even if you have quit smoking, the risk does not decrease the longer ago you quit and it never returns to zero.

3. Extended exposure to second-hand or passive smoke - the CDC reports that there are over 3-thousand lung cancer deaths a year attributable to second-hand smoke.

4. Exposure to radon - an invisible, tasteless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally in earth and rocks. This is the second leading cause in the United States.

5. Environmental carcinogens - including arsenic, asbestos, uranium, and diesel fuel.

6. Radiation therapy to the chest - if you have too many chest X-rays when you have a cough or are sick, they can add up.

7. Previous lung diseases like emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or tuberculosis can leave scars on the lungs.

8. Genetics or a family history of lung cancer - new U.S. research reveals that adults who are biologically related to someone who had lung cancer, especially if it was diagnosed before age 50, have an increased risk.

In its early stages, lung cancer has no symptoms. But the signs to watch for include a chronic cough, hoarseness, coughing up blood, weight loss and/or loss of appetite, shortness of breath, a high fever with no known reason, wheezing, repeated episodes of bronchitis or pneumonia, and chest pain.

Among the current approved treatments for lung cancer are Surgery, if used in the early stages of the tumor, it can be taken out, Radiation therapy, a form of high energy X-rays that kills the cancer cells, and Chemotherapy or drugs effective against cancer cells, injected directly into a vein, or taken by pill.

Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Ayurvedic medicines can be given as additional therapy to the standard line of treatment for lung cancer. The aim of treatment is to control the lung cancer, prevent or reduce its spread to other parts of the body and improve overall survival. Medicines which act specifically on the lung tissue are used for this condition. These include Ras-Sindur, Sameer-Pannag-Ras, Nag-Guti, Chaturbhuj-Ras, Hema-Garbha-Ras, Laxmi-Vilas-Ras, Karpuradi-Churna, Kantakari-Avleha, Bhallatak-Asav, Vasavaleha, Sitopaladi-Churna, Talisadi-Churna, Pippalyadi-Ghrut and Drakshasav. Herbal medicines useful in this condition are: Kantakari (Solanum xanthocarpum), Bhruhat-Kantakari (Solanum indicum), Vasa (Adhatoda vasaka), Yashtimadhuk (Glycerrhiza glabra), Pippali (Piper longum), Behada (Terminalia bellerica), Bharangee (Clerodendron serratum), Kushtha (Saussurea lappa), Dhatura (Dhatura fastuosa) and Pushkarmool (Inula racemosa). The medicines Kanchnaar-Guggulu and Maha-Manjisthadi-Qadha are used in very high doses to prevent spread of the tumor locally or to other parts of the body.

Medicines like Suvarna-Malini-Vasant, Madhu-Malini-Vasant, Vasant-Kusumakar-Ras, Suvarna-Sameerpannag-Ras, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Suvarna-Bhasma and Heerak- Bhasma are used to control the tumor and to improve the immune status of the body. Dashmooladi-Ghrut, Haritaki-Avaleha, Chyawanprash-Avaleha and Bhallatak-Asav are also used for this purpose.

Compared to other cancers, lung cancer has a very poor prognosis, in spite of the latest available modern treatment. The concurrent use of Ayurvedic medicines therefore, assumes more importance, to control the tumor, improve quality of life and improve the survival rate. All such patients should be under the regular care and supervision of an Oncology team

Stages Of Disease..

1) Stage 1 disease - Patients that have this early stage typically have no symptoms and most are cured with primary surgical excision. The tumors are mostly found on a routine chest radiograph. Nowadays many tumors are detected while they are still very small with computed tomography (CT). Morbidity and mortality increase with higher stages of disease and extended resections. The overall five-year survival for patients with completely resected stage I NSCLC is approximately 75%.

2) Stage 2 disease - Patients with T1-2N1 represent a small subset in the spectrum of this disease, usually comprising less than 10% of patients coming to surgery. The overall five-year survival of patients with Stage 2 tumors is approximately 50-60%. In this stage the tumors also start to invade the mediastinal pleura, fat, nerves, and pericardium, but not the major mediastinal vessels or organs.

3) Stage 3 disease - The preffered treatment for for patients in Stage 3 A is complete resection via lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection. Patients with left upper lobe tumors. have the best prognosis of all, with five-year survival rates as high as 42% when completely resected. Computed Tomography (CT) scanning 5 year survival rate is approximately 30% following complete surgical resection. Patients with Stage 3 B are considered inoperable. The five-year survival for patients with
T4 (carina) N0 tumors undergoing tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy has been reported to approach 20%.

4) Stage 4 disease - Surgery for this stage is only limited for young, healthy patients with a solitary site of metastatic disease, and an easily resectable primary tumor contained within the chest. Five-year survival in these patients should approach 20%. Even if a cure is not obtained, survival is prolonged and quality of life improved.

Smoking

Lung cancer is a global problem and it is the most frequent cancer in the world. Each year the incidences of lung cancer are unfortunately increasing. Although the use of tobacco has declined in many high income countries, it has become rapidly worse in developing and former socialist countries, where smoking rate is still high. Everyone knows that smoking causes lung cancer but how smoking causes lung cancer is a question that nobody really knows. In this article I will explain how smoking causes lung cancer.

A cigarette smoke is a very complicated mixture of different compounds. More than 4000 different compounds have been indentified in mainstream cigarette smoke. From these 4000 and a bit more compounds 60-70 are carciongens: heterocyclic hydrocarbons, N -heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), N -nitrosamines, aromatic amines, organic compounds, aldehydes, inorganic compounds like hydrazine and some metals and free radicals.

Tobacco contains a high amount of N-nitrosamines and PAH-s, which are which are strong carciogens. Other compounds seem to have lower carciogenic potential. Various studies have shown that PAH-s can induce tumors in laboratory animals. PAH- are formed by incomplete combustion of tobacco. Studies have also shown that PAH-s can interact with the DNA, forming mutagenic DNA adducts. And the formation of DNA adducts may be the primary initiating event of carciogenesis.

The concentration of N-nitrosamines in tobacco is relatively high and heavy smokers have the highest exposure to these compounds. The tobacco-specific N -nitrosamines (TSNA), principally the nicotine-derived NNK, are the strongest respiratory carcinogens identified in tobacco products. Both malignant and benign tumors are formed in mice, hamsters and rats have been induced by NNK. The concentration of NNK in mainstream smoke has increased while those of benzo( a ) pyrene have decreased since the 1960s.

The smoke of cigarettes also contains a large amount of free radicals and free radicals cause oxidative damage. Both the particulate and gas phase are highly oxidative and therefore damage the lung. Cigarette smoke also induces proinflammatory cytokines and recruits activated macrophages and neutrophils to lung tissue.

Cigarettes contain a very high levels of metals. Somewhere around 30 metals have been found. Some evidence has shown that metals are effective initiators of the carcinogenic process, but can also be potential promoters during carcinogenesis. Cigarette smoke contains high levels of cadmium, chromium and also nickel. Chromium accumulates in the lung and tobacco smoking is the main source of cadmium exposure in humans. Unfortunately the complete contribution of these metals to lung cancer is poorly understood.

Treatment..

Before a treatment option is to be determined for lung cancer patients, it is important to diagnose its type and stage first. Here are some of the more common types of treatment:

1) Surgery - This method of treatment is best only for patients who are diagnosed early due to the possibility of the cancer cells spreading to other parts of the body despite inability to detect it via scan.

2) Chemotherapy - This treatment is best used for individuals with small cell lung cancer. Oftentimes, this treatment is accompanied by radiotherapy. This treatment is known as chemoradiation.

3) Radiotherapy - This treatment is directed on the patient's head, in order to prevent the cancer cells from spreading to the brain. It is recommended only for individuals with small cell lung cancer and those who had their tumor removed via surgery.

Warning Signs..

Lung cancer warning signs are similar to recognizing the symptoms of the disease. Hence, having enough knowledge of other conditions associated with this illness would be helpful.

Below is a list of lung cancer warning signs you should be keeping a close eye on:

• Persistent Coughing
• Presence of blood or mucus when coughing
• Loss of appetite resulting to weight loss
• Feeling of shortness of breath
• Pneumonia, bronchitis, or other respiratory-related illness
• Constant pain in the chest, back, or neck
• Uncharacteristic fever

You need to pay close attention to any changes in your body though, since most of the symptoms are not evident until they have reached the advanced stage.

Symptoms..

Since it affects your respiratory system, common symptoms associated with this disease are related to such conditions affecting the respiratory illness.

It is a rare case for this sickness to be diagnosed early, which is why awareness of the general facts on lung cancer is of extreme importance for early diagnosis.

• Prolonged cases of cough.
• Uncharacteristic wheezing.
• Pain on the back, chest, or shoulder.
• Coughing blood or mucus.
• Constant shortness of breath.
• Swollen neck or face.
• Pneumonia or other respiratory infections, etc

What Are The Effects of Lung Cancer Treatments?

Since the treatment for the disease is essential to keep the cancer cells under control, several patients have overlooked the possible harm it can bring to their health. These are some of the more common treatment options for lung cancer.

1) Surgical Treatment

Effects of lung cancer treatment such as surgeries can often bring in more harm to the patient. Since it is a major operation, it exposes your chest area into the possibility of collecting air and fluid into it.

Among the side effects known for lung cancer patients who have recently undergone surgery is difficulty in turning over, deep breathing, or even coughing. Since patients typically go through these activities, recovery might be slow.

Activities such as deep breathing or coughing are essential elements in recovery since they enable extra air or fluid out of your lung area.

Among the most common conditions cited shortly after undergoing lung cancer surgery include pain in your chest area or arms, and shortness of breath. It might need a week or two before a patient can find relief from such side effects.

2) Chemotherapy

When it comes to the side effects produced by this type of treatment for lung cancer, it varies according to the type and amount of drugs given the patient.

The hazard comes in since chemotherapy does not solely target cancer cells, but also affect normal cells as well. Below are common side effects experienced by patients treated with chemotherapy:

• vomiting/nausea
• feeling of fatigue
• presence of mouth sores
• hair loss

3) Radiation Therapy

The effects of lung cancer treatments such as radiation therapy stems from the fact that, like chemotherapy, it affects your normal cells. As opposed to the type of drug used in chemotherapy, this one depends on the particular part of the body being treated and the amount of dosage.

Common side effects include the following: sore or dry throat, hard time swallowing, changes in the skin of the area of treatment, appetite loss, headaches, problems with memory retention, etc.

4) Photodynamic Therapy

This particular therapy sets its limits on the normal routine activities of a patient who has undergone this treatment. For six weeks or more proceeding the treatment, the patient's skin and eyes becomes hypersensitive to light.

Therefore, direct contact with sunlight must be avoided if possible, even indoors. Hence, protective clothing must be worn if the patient were to go outside.

Other entailing conditions of photodynamic therapy include difficulty swallowing, coughing, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.

First Symptoms..

Lung cancer is the most lethal of malignant diseases worldwide and is still the leading cause of cancer related deaths in the USA. Although the overall deaths in Western Europe and United Stated have decreased since 1991, global lung cancer rates are expected to rise because of ongoing tobacco use.

For the majority of the time lung cancer is clinically silent because they grow from a single malignant
cell to a potentially detectable lesion. The majority of people already have the symptoms of lung cancer at the time of diagnosis. In only about 10% of cases is lung cancer discovered incidentally in an asymptomatic patient.

One of the first symptoms of lung cancer is cough, which occurs in 45-75% of patients. Cancer types with a predilection for central airway involvement may cause cough earlier in their course. But peripherally located tumors may only cause cough as a late symptom. A change in the character of a chronic cough, such as new hemoptysis or co-existent chills and fever, should raise suspicion of an additional process such as lung cancer.

Tumor involvement of the chest wall, parietal pleura, and mediastinum leads to chest pain as an initial symptom or complaint in 25-50% of patients. Other causes of pain include postobstructive pneumonitis, pulmonary embolism, and rib cage metastases.

5-8% of lung cancer patients experience hoarseness which is usually attributable to unilateral left vocal
paralysis resulting from damage to the left recurrent laryngeal nerve anywhere along its intrathoracic course.

Physical exam is a vital component of the lung cancer evaluation as it may provide important prognostic, diagnostic, and staging clues. The outside appearance may look normal or it may reveal debilitation, cachexia, lethargy, pallor, jaundice, fever, or significant comorbidities. Blood pressure irregularities can be seen in conjunction with neurologic or adrenal paraneoplastic phenomena.

A thorough nervous system examination is crucial, especially in patients with headache, sensorimotor complaints, and back pain. Unilateral lower extremity swelling, tenderness, and erythema may accompany deep venous thromboses.

Causes..

Lung cancer is responsible for 1.3 million deaths worldwide. It is the most common cause of cancer related deaths among men and second most common among women. Unfortunately the deaths are increasing not decreasing.

1. Smoking

No surprise here, smoking is the leading cause. Almost 90% of this disease is caused by smoking in the developed world. The risk of developing it for male smokers is 17.2% and 11.6% for female smokers. So the risk factor is very high. If you are a nonsmoker then the risk of having lung cancer is 1.3% for men and 1.4% in women. The changes of developing it is influenced by the time a person smokes and also by the rate a person smokes. And if a person stops smoking then the risk of cancer will steadily decrease because damage to the lungs is repaired slowly. Passive smoking is also a cause of cancer among nonsmokers. Someone living or working with smoker(s) is considered a passive smoker. If you live with a smoker, you have 2 to 3 times the risk of developing this disease compared with a person who lives in a nonsmoking environment.

2. Radon Gas

Radon exposure is the second major cause, after smoking. Radon is a gas that is generated by the breakdown of radioactive radium, it is colorless and odorless. This process of breaking down radium can cause mutations that sometimes can turn cancerous. The levels of radon gas vary by the composition of underlying soil and rocks. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one in 15 homes in the United States has radon levels that are above the recommended guideline.

3. Asbestos

Asbestos is a material that is used in construction. In the UK, asbestos accounts for 2-3% of male lung cancer deaths. Asbestos can enter the body by being inhaled or swallowed. Contact with asbestos over time has been linked with the disease. Most contact with asbestos is work-related. There is also a synergistic effect between smoking tobacco and asbestos in the formation of lthe disease.

4. Viruses

Viruses are known to cause this disease among animals and recent evidence has shown the there is a similar potential in humans as well. Implicated viruses include human papillomavirus, JC virus, simian virus 40, BK virus, and cytomegalovirus. These viruses may affect the cell cycle and inhibit apoptosis, allowing uncontrolled cell division.