LUNG CANCER

General Information

DEFINITION--Malignant tissue growth in the lung. It is related almost exclusively to cigarette smoking.

BODY PARTS INVOLVED--Bronchial tubes and lungs. Cancer spreads to the larynx, liver, brain, bones and kidneys.

SEX OR AGE MOST AFFECTED--Adults of both sexes between ages 40 and 70.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• Persistent cough.
• Sputum that may contain blood.
• Wheezing.
• Chest pain.
• Fatigue and weakness.
• Weight loss.
• Shoulder, arm or bone pain.
• Sometimes, no symptoms.

CAUSES

• Cigarette smoking.
• Air pollution.
• Unknown (some forms).
• Asbestos exposure.
• Spread of cancer from somewhere else in the body.
• Chronic interstitial pneumonitis.
• Radon gas.

RISK INCREASES WITH

• Adults over 60.
• Smoking. A smoker is 22 times more likely to develop lung cancer than a non-smoker.
• Environmental exposure to asbestos, uranium ore, nickel, chromates, bischloromethyl ether or air pollution.

HOW TO PREVENT

• Avoid pollutants. Wear a protective mask if you work with pollutants.
• Don't smoke. Because tumors don't develop for a long time, smokers can quit at any time and greatly reduce the risk of developing lung cancer.
• Obtain regular health checkups that may include a chest x-ray if you are a heavy smoker.
• Check your house for radon gas.

What To Expect

DIAGNOSTIC MEASURES--

• Your own observation of symptoms.
• Medical history and physical exam by a doctor.
• Laboratory studies of cells in sputum and pleural fluid.
• X-rays of lungs, CT scan (See Glossary) and pulmonary function studies.

APPROPRIATE HEALTH CARE

• Doctor's care.
• Surgery for diagnosis (bronchoscopy), biopsy (See Glossary) or removal of cancerous lung tissue.
• Treatment steps will be determined by the extent of the spread of the disease.
• Surgery to remove all of the lung (pneumonectomy) or part of the lung (lobectomy) may be recommended if cancer is at an early stage. (See Lung Resection in Surgery section.)
• Radiation treatment and anticancer drugs to stop the spread of the tumor or destroy cancerous cells may be recommended.

POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS

• Destructive spread to other body parts, including the brain.
• Lung collapse; fluid on the lung.

PROBABLE OUTCOME--Without surgery, this condition is currently considered incurable. Only 25% of tumors can be removed surgically. However, symptoms can be relieved or controlled. The survival rate after 5 years is less than 10%. Lung cancer causes more deaths than any other form of cancer and the incidence is increasing.

How To Treat

GENERAL MEASURES--

• The more you can learn and understand about this disorder, the more you will be able to make informed decisions about where to go for your care, the treatments available, the risks involved, side effects of therapy and outcome.
• See Resources for Additional Information.

MEDICATION--

• For minor pain, you may use non-prescription drugs such as acetaminophen or aspirin.
• Your doctor may prescribe: Medication to reduce pain, nausea or anxiety. Anticancer drugs.

ACTIVITY--Remain as active as possible. If surgery performed, follow medical advice about resuming activities.

DIET--No special diet.

Call Your Doctor If

• The following occurs after surgery or during drug treatment: Intolerable pain. Nausea or vomiting. Sleeplessness.
• New, unexplained symptoms develop. Drugs used in treatment may produce side effects.