Lung cancer is the largest single cause of cancer deaths in the United States. For many years, men were at a higher risk because of the higher smoking rates within the male population. This changed as more women began to smoke and increased the amount of lung cancer deaths by 150 percent in just two decades. Lung cancer is known as a silent killer for women due to the fact that it is so unexpected and the signs often do not present themselves until it is already developed aggressively. Among the female population at least 39,000 cancer deaths are attributed to breast cancer, but what tends to go unnoticed is the astounding 70,000 cancer deaths that are a result of lung cancer.
Lung cancer in women who don’t smoke
Lung cancer is traditionally isolated to those that smoke. However, smoking is not the only reason that lung cancer develops in women. In more recent years, medical researchers are discovering an alarming increase in the amount of women who have never smoked developing lung cancer. It has been found that estrogen also plays a large role in the development and progression of lung cancer. Women who have their ovaries removed before menopause may be at an even higher risk for developing this disease. Approximately 35 percent of women who develop lung cancer have never lived with smokers and have never smoked themselves.
Why is lung cancer so deadly?
Lung cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, largely because of the lack of medical research done to develop a cure for it simply because it is classified as a smoker’s disease. However, at least 20 percent of lung cancer patients have never smoked before and do not routinely surround themselves with others who do. Lung cancer can no longer be considered a disease singled out for smokers.
There are some studies that are beginning to show that about 21,000 cases of lung cancer each year are the result of continual exposure to radon (a radioactive gas found in dirt and rocks that can seep into the air inside homes, offices and schools). Radon is second only to smoking as a cause for lung cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that all homeowners get a radon detection kit.
There are other causes that come into play when concerning lung cancer and that are constantly overlooked, such as Asbestos, genetic predisposition, Human Papillomavirus, as well as environmental exposures. Lung cancer spreads through the body sometimes at a rapid speed, making the mortality rate even higher than most other cancers. Approximately 85 percent of patients who develop lung cancer do not survive.
Symptoms to be aware of
Twenty-five percent of lung cancer cases do not present any detectable symptoms until it is discovered on a chest X-ray or CT scan. However, there are symptoms that you can be aware of should they start to arise.
- Shortness of breath
- Constant wheezing
- Continuing chronic cough
- Chest pains
- Coughing up blood
- Shoulder pain
- Fatigue
How lung cancer is diagnosed
Once lung cancer is suspected, there are several steps that you will have to go through to either rule out or confirm the diagnosis. Your doctor will perform a thorough history and physical exam which will help the doctor to evaluate the physical signs that may suggest that you have lung cancer, such as enlarged lymph nodes, abnormal lung sounds, or clubbing of the fingernail (chubby fingernails).
Should your doctor determine that there is cause for concern, a chest X-ray is usually ordered to examine any concerns he may have detected. If a mass is shown in the chest X-ray, the next step is for you to get a CT scan, which X-rays the chest on a three-dimensional scale. Following this, a sample of tissue has to be collected in order to confirm the diagnosis of cancer. This can be done by various choices of several procedures such as an MRI, a PET scan, Sputum Cytology Bronchoscopy, or a needle biopsy.
Lung cancer treatment
The type of treatment that one should receive is determined once discovering what stage one's cancer is in. Surgery is an option at almost any stage, but once you pass the first stage of lung cancer, your option more than likely will have to include additional measures. Chemotherapy is the most likely choice for how a doctor will begin to treat your cancer. Other forms of possible treatment may include one or a combination of the first two as well as radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy, and clinical trials.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
References
Brody, Jane E. “You don’t have to smoke to get lung cancer” (accessed on March 14, 2011)
Emedicinehealth.com “Lung Cancer Overview” (accessed on March 13, 2011)
WebMD.com “Lung Cancer Diagnosis” (accessed on March 14, 2011)
MayoClinic.com “Lung Cancer: Treatment and Drugs” (accessed on March 15, 2011)
Jimmetta Carpenter - My name is Jimmetta Carpenter and I am a writer. I was born and raised in the Washington DC metropolitan area and have had a very big ...
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