A Description Of Lung Cancer

Interesting Facts About Lung Cancer

This article provides a description of lung cancer and how it develops. This description of lung cancer is intended for readers with little or no professional medical experience or education. It is not meant for medical professionals.

How does lung cancer develop? Lung cancer or lung carcinoma results from an abnormality of the cells in the lung. This is the same way that cancers anywhere else in the body work. This abnormal growth is usually called a tumor and a lung tumor can cause serious problems.

The body is a complex organism made up of many different cells all working together, Cells are constantly dying, splitting and re-growing but sometimes things go wrong and cancers develop. When this happens in the lungs, it can greatly affect the lung’s ability to function properly.

The main types of lung cancer are small cell lung carcinoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma. Knowing the difference is important because lung cancer treatment varies depending on the type.

The x-ray picture below and to the right shows a lung tumor (appears as a light spot in the lower right lung).

We have a separate article devoted exclusively on how to know if you have lung cancer. Click on lung cancer signs and symptoms. Also visit our article on lung tumors.

Interesting facts about lung cancer Lung cancer kills more men and women each year than any other type of cancer. It is made worse by cigarette smoking although many cases of lung cancer exist that are not directly related to smoking. Smoking greatly increases your chances of developing lung cancer, however. If you suspect you may have lung cancer, you should stop smoking immediately. Click on on lung cancer and smoking for more information.

In addition to smoking, some other causes of lung cancer include passive smoking, or second hand smoke, asbestos exposure, radon gas, air pollution, genetics, heredity, and other lung diseases or conditions. There are different types of lung cancer. If you are already predisposed to getting lung cancer from one of the reasons listed above, it’s very important that you take care of your lungs and learn all that you can about lung health.

If possible, you need to avoid the pollutants that may cause your lung cancer and seek the help of a professional if you think you may already have contracted lung cancer or if you are having breathing problems. In many cases, lung cancer is fatal but it doesn’t have to be for you. The sooner you seek treatment, the better your chances of recovery will be.

What is a lung nodule? A lung nodule is a small abnormality in the lung. It is also known as a pulmonary nodule that can be seen on a chest x-ray if it is larger than one centimeter.

Most lung nodules, which are sometimes called "lung spots" are noncancerous or benign lesions. Nonetheless, anyone diagnosed with a lung nodule should investigate it further because it may actually be an early stage of lung cancer. It might also be an indication that cancer is present and is spreading (also called metastasizing) from another part of the body to the affected lung.

A needle biopsy, which is also known as a needle aspiration, may be necessary to determine if you have a benign lung nodule or a malignant lung nodule. A biopsy involves removing some cells from a suspicious area within the body and examining them under a microscope to determine a diagnosis.

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