Cancer Types
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the lungs. People who smoke are most likely to get it. Non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer are the two main types of lung cancer. Lung cancer can be caused by smoking, secondhand smoke, exposure to certain toxins, and a history of lung cancer in the family.
Risk Factors & Prevention
Factors such as smoking (cigarettes, cigars, and pipes), secondhand smoke exposure, exposure to asbestos and other carcinogens (e.g., radon, certain chemicals), family history of lung cancer, air pollution, previous radiation therapy to the chest can increase the risk.
Prevention include avoid or quit smoking, minimize exposure to secondhand smoke, limit exposure to harmful chemicals and air pollution, maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly, consider screening if you are at high risk.
Signs & Symptoms
Screening
Screening for lung cancer is recommended for high-risk individuals, typically those over 50 with a significant smoking history. The primary method is a low-dose CT (LDCT) scan, which can detect tumors at an early, more treatable stage. Speak to your healthcare provider to determine if screening is right for you.
Symptoms & Signs
Lung cancer often doesn’t show symptoms until it has advanced. However, some early warning signs include:
- Persistent cough
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
- Hoarseness
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Recurrent respiratory infections
Treatment Modalities & Coping Treatment:
Treatment Modalities
Treatment depends on the type and stage of lung cancer, overall health, and patient preferences. Common options include:
- Surgery: Removing the tumor or a portion of the lung.
- Radiation Therapy: Targeting cancer cells with high-energy beams.
- Chemotherapy: Using drugs to kill or shrink cancer cells.
- Targeted Therapy: Drugs designed to target specific genetic mutations in cancer cells.
- Immunotherapy: Boosting the body’s immune system to fight cancer.
Coping With Treatment
Cancer treatment can be physically and emotionally challenging. Patients may experience fatigue, nausea, hair loss, pain, or emotional distress. Support services such as counseling, nutritional advice, and physical therapy can help manage side effects. Engaging with cancer support groups may also provide emotional relief and community.
Do's & Don'ts During Treatment
Do's:
- Follow your healthcare team’s instructions closely.
- Eat a balanced, nutritious diet.
- Stay hydrated.
- Get enough rest but stay active to the extent possible.
- Inform your doctor about any side effects.
Don'ts:
- Don’t smoke or expose yourself to harmful toxins.
- Avoid skipping doses or treatments without consulting your doctor.
- Don’t isolate yourself emotionally—seek support when needed.
- Avoid over-exertion.
Post Treatment Support, Followup Care and Surveillance :
Post Treatment Support
Once treatment is completed, recovery can take time. Post-treatment support includes physical rehabilitation, nutritional support, psychological counseling, and social services to help you regain strength and adjust to life after treatment.
Follow-ups Cancer Plan
Regular follow-ups with your healthcare team are essential after lung cancer treatment to monitor recovery, manage any side effects, and detect any signs of recurrence. These may include physical exams, imaging tests, and blood tests to ensure you remain cancer-free or to address new concerns early.
Surveillance & Monitoring for Recurrence
Surveillance plans typically involve regular CT scans or other imaging tests at scheduled intervals to check for recurrence. Your doctor will also monitor for symptoms and provide guidelines for recognizing early signs of a possible relapse. Early detection of recurrence can lead to better treatment outcomes.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The main cause of Lung Cancer is cigarette smoking. Association of cigarette smoking in Lung Cancer is extremely strong and it is estimated that nearly 6 lakh people die because of Lung Cancer due to smoking habit. Cigarette smoking causes irreversible changes in the DNA which then cause cancer cells to form in the lung.
• Lung Cancer may cause due to Hemoptysis i.e. Blood in the sputum.
• Frequent Cough which is not cured by routine treatment.
• Initially no symptoms of Lung Cancer may be seen in the patients but may be diagnosed accidentally with this lymph when they undergo an X-ray for some other reason.
Lung Cancer is detected at late stages because people often confuse it with Tuberculosis, especially in India.An attempt should be made to distinguish between the two and rule out Lung Cancer whenever possible because if we spend time in taking anti TB treatment the disease often become untreatable.
The treatment of Lung Cancer is basically surgery when it is operable. Surgery consists of the removal of part/entire Lung. Nowadays Lung Cancer surgery is done through Thoracoscopy which means we don’t need to open the entire chest and remove the cancer cells. It can be done through small incision which means that the patient can recover from the surgery very rapidly and does not have to face the same pain and morbidity that occurs during open surgery causes.
Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer has also made rapid advances. In previous years when patients were diagnosed with advanced Lung Cancer it meant a death nail. Now due to Chemotherapy the quality of life and period of survival both have improved. Also because of targeted Chemotherapy which means the cells target the specific cancer cells and not rest of the tissues.
Radiation also play a major role in Cancer especially in advanced Cancers where it is used to decrease the size of the lymph so that we can go ahead and do the surgery on the same cancer.
Lung Cancer even in advance stage is treated with Radiation Chemotherapy so that the quality of life of the patients improves. Survival of Lung Cancer patients is improved slowly but Lung Cancer is majorly caused due to Cigarette smoking and SMOKING KILLS.