The leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women in the US is lung cancer. As with any type of cancer, the key to surviving the disease is early detection. Different individuals often manifest different symptoms. However, most individuals who have lung cancer don’t exhibit any symptoms until the disease is advanced. The bottom line is that nearly 220,000 people in the US will be told that they have the disease while over 140,000 will die from it.
Two Types of Lung Cancer to be Aware of
Doctors have divided lung cancer into two primary forms based on the microscopic appearance of lung cancer cells. Your doctor will typically determine the treatment options based on your specific type of lung cancer. These two types are:
- Small cell lung cancer – occurs almost exclusively among heavy smokers and is not as common as the non-small cell type.
- Non-small cell lung cancer – as an umbrella term for several different forms of the disease, non-small cell lung cancer includes adenocarcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
Risk Factors
There are several factors that can increase a person’s risk for developing lung cancer. These include:
- Exposure to asbestos as well as other carcinogens
- Exposure to secondhand smoke
- Genetics (family history of lung cancer)
- Previous radiation therapy
- Prolonged exposure to radon gas
- Smoking
You can control some of these risk factors such as quitting smoking while others cannot be controlled such as your family history (genetics).
Complications of the Disease
There are a number of complications that are associated with lung cancer including:
- Coughing up blood
- Hoarseness and wheezing
- Metastasis (cancer that spreads)
- Pleural effusion (fluid in the chest)
- Shortness of breath
Lung cancer often metastasizes or spreads to other areas of the body such as the bones or the brain. Cancer that metastasizes will often cause headaches, nausea, pain, or other symptoms depending on the organ it has spread to. Once it has spread beyond the lungs, lung cancer usually isn’t curable.
Diagnostic Imaging of Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is considered a very complex disease with numerous causes, several types of tumors that can develop, and a variety of symptoms. In most cases, lung cancer will be diagnosed using one of the following imaging tools:
- CT (computed tomography)
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
- PET (positron emission tomography
If a doctor has reason to suspect that cancer may exist, additional testing such as a biopsy or ultrasound may be prescribed. That will help the doctor see the area where the issue is and helps to target the malignant cells for future treatment, if needed.
To learn more, call Vital Imaging today at (305) 596-9992.