Primary Lung Cancer

A cancer that starts in your lungs is known as primary lung cancer. It can spread to other areas of your body and is typically caused by smoking cigarettes.

Symptoms are varied and often not specific. In only a fifth of cases do patients have haemoptysis. The diagnosis was traditionally based on plain chest Xrays according to symptoms, however, this technique has poor sensitivity.

Age

In the United States, lung cancer is most prevalent in those who are 65 or older. However, anyone of any age can get the cancer. Smokers are the most at risk, and this includes long-term or heavy smokers.

Doctors classify lung cancer into two main kinds based on how cancer cells look under a microscope. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) occurs less often than non-small lung cancer. SCLC is more aggressive than non-small lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung carcinomas comprise Adenocarcinomas, squamous Cell Cancers and large cell undifferentiated cancers. Non-small lung cancers are responsible for 80% to 85 percent.

Certain types of non-small cells cancer can be cured when the cancer is detected early and hasn't spread to other areas of the body. Your doctor will give you an idea of what your chances are for this based on the kind of cancer, how far it has spread and your overall health.

Smoking

The lungs are two big muscles that perform vital functions like breathing. The lung is a part of the respiratory tract, which comprises the mouth, nose, trachea, and large airways that lead into each lung. Small airways branch out into bronchi, and then into the smaller airways which end in the pulmonary sacs of the lungs.

A person's risk of developing lung cancer can be increased due to an inherited mutation or a family history. A genetic mutation or family history may also increase a person's risk for lung cancer, and some studies suggest that inflammation cells can trigger changes in the genome that may lead to cancer (1).

The number of patients diagnosed with lung Cancer Lung continues to decline due to smoking fewer cigarettes and because of advances in diagnosis and treatment. It's still the second most frequent cause of death from cancer for both women and men.

Family History

Like all cancers, lung cancer occurs when cells grow out of control and Cancer Lung create more copies of themselves. This can destroy healthy tissue and cause a range of symptoms, such as coughing up blood (hemoptysis), difficulty breathing (dyspnea) and weight loss.

Although smoking and environmental factors are the primary causes of lung cancer, genetic changes can also increase the likelihood of developing the cancer. These genetic mutations can be passed down from generation to generation but also result of environmental factors, like smoking secondhand or the radon.

Some gene changes that increase lung cancer risk are inherited by one or both parents. Talk to your doctor in case you have a background of lung cancer in your family. Regular screenings and the adjustment of factors that can be modified can help identify the disease earlier when it's easier to treat.

Physical Examination

Unusual cough, weight loss and difficulty breathing can be a sign of lung cancer. However, these symptoms usually have an underlying cause that is a result of an upper respiratory tract infection. They should be evaluated with a chest radiograph and blood tests. Patients who exhibit red flag signs (see Table 2) are referred for an examination on a "2-week waiting period".

If the initial tests are not conclusive the next tests may include a biopsy as well as imaging techniques. A biopsy is a procedure in which your doctor takes samples of cells that will be examined from the abnormal part of your lung. It can be done through bronchoscopy fine needle aspiration, or surgical incision.

Other imaging tests include the CT scan that looks at your lymph nodes and lungs nearby. PET scans that inject a small amount of radiotracer, for example fluorodeoxyglucose into your body to look for Cancer Lung active cancerous cells, can aid in the diagnosis of lung cancer.

Blood Tests

A careful analysis of cancerous cells in a laboratory will reveal to your doctor what kind of cancer you have and how far it has spread (stage). This information can aid your doctor in determining which treatment is best for you.

Blood tests test for certain proteins or genes in your blood that may be related to cancer. These tests are referred to as molecular.

Your doctor might use a special microscope, called"cytology test" or "cytology test" to check your sputum when you cough up mucus. These tests can also reveal small tumors that may not be visible on an X-ray or CT scan.

PET (positron-emission tomography), or CT (computed Tomography), scans use the computer and radioactive substances to produce detailed images of your body. A PET/CT scan allows your doctor to compare areas with high activity in a PET scan to a detailed image from a CT.

Imaging

There are a variety of tests that can be used to determine whether the cancer has spread from another part of the body to the lung. These include x-rays and scans.

A radiologist can perform needle biopsy using the CT scan. The needle is placed into the lung mass through the CT scan. This method can diagnose up to 90 percent of lung tumors but it is also able to miss cancers that are smaller than the needle. With a light sedation or under general anesthesia the flexible tube known as a "bronchoscope" can be used to obtain tissue. It can be used to study tracheas (windpipes) and large airways, (bronchi) and small air sacs.

A PET scan is a test in nuclear medicine which can be extremely helpful in determining a lung cancer. A PET (PET) scan identifies an element that is radioactive, and is absorbed by the majority of cancer cells. If the mass lights up on the PET scan, it is more likely to be a cancer.