Lung Cancer - Medtick

Lung Cancer

What is it?

Cancer of the lungs.

  • Primary cancer (when cancer started in lungs itself) is rare in less than 40 years old; most common age is over 70 year old.

This cancer can be divided in two types:

Non-small cell lung cancer (common)

  • Found in non smokers and young adults
  • Cancers tends to be found in outer regions of the lungs

Small cell lung cancer (rare)

  • Cancers tend to be aggressive and usually diagnosed at late stage
  • Lung adenocarcinomas are usually found deep in the lungs, where smoke from a filtered cigarette would settle and usually show symptoms quite late
  • Squamous cell cancers tend to occur in or near the large airways—the first place exposed to cigarette smoke and normally show symptoms early on.

Carcinoid tumors/Neuroendocrine tumors (rare)

  • Slow growing tumours that develop in lungs and/or other parts of body i.e. colon and/or liver and/or rectum (carcinoid syndrome) due to hormones being released in the body and are usually diagnosed at a late stage.

Lung cancer spreading to other parts of body:

Cause

  • Age (the older one becomes)
  • Family history
  • Smoking
  • Respiratory disease
  • Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC)
  • Other cancers spreading into the lungs (secondary cancer and can occur at any age) i.e. Breast cancer
  • Radon- a natural gas produced from earth and is can seep from the ground to buildings
  • Exposed constantly to industrial chemicals, solvents and pollution i.e. mining, metal production, agriculture, asbestos)
  • Wood smoke
  • Cooking with poor ventilation

Syndromes

Medication

  • Ace inhibitors (increase bradykinin levels and substance P hence cough)

Vitamins, herbals and minerals

Symptoms

(Symptoms generally occur at an advanced stage in lung cancer, when it is wide spread)

Lungs

  • Tight chest?
  • Regular and reoccurring chest infections?
  • Chesty cough where bring up phlegm, that can be bloody?
  • Dry cough greater than three weeks?
  • Short of breath and/or breathing difficulties?
  • Voice changes and/or hoarse voice?
  • Swollen face?
  • Fingers becoming more curved or ends becoming larger (finger clubbing)?
  • General discomfort (muscle weakness), uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise) and/or fatigue (tiredness)?
  • Unexplained weight loss?
  • Hard Painless lump and/or not moving and and/or is becoming larger?

Lung cancer spreading to other parts of body:

Cancer in mouth region:

Lymph Glands

  • Swelling in glands on the side of neck below one’s ear

Stomach and bowel region

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency Condition

And/or do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:


This condition can lead to:


This condition has been associated with:


Driving Authority


H.I.V test

  • A H.I.V test should be offered if one has this condition.

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Lung Cancer in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).