Lung Cancer Research
Lung cancer may originate in the lungs or it could spread from other parts of the body. Lung cancer is at the top of the list of the most prevalent cancers and the most deaths from cancer. However, lung cancer also heads the list of the most preventable cancers: Almost all lung cancers are from smoking, and most would have been prevented by not smoking. A few lung cancers may have been caused by breathing dangerous substances in work such as asbestos, arsenic, nickel, coke oven emissions or other carcinogenic substances, but most people with lung cancer have been smokers. Many dangerous substances just as dangerous as these listed above also come from cigarettes.
A persistent cough is the main symptom of cancer, but in general the symptoms depend upon the type of cancer, its location
and sometimes in the way it has metastasized. Bleeding could be a symptom if it develops into the underlying veins. The persistent cough may cause bleeding which will appear in the sputum. Loss of weight and loss of appetite are symptoms that come later. Many patients complain of back pain, also. In many cases the lung cancer in the early stages spreads to many other body parts such as the liver, adrenal glands and bone. This could happen before the cancer is fully developed which would make the diagnosis more difficult.
Surgery is one option of treatment and it can be done in about a third of the cases, but this does not guarantee a cure. Up to forty percent may survive up to five years, but less for the ones who continue to smoke. Of course, this condition should be under a doctor's care who will select the best treatment depending upon the various conditions and factors. Treatment includes chemotherapy, radiation and drugs.
