LUNG CANCER
Lung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. This growth may lead to invasion of adjacent tissue (metastasis) and to infiltration of other tissues and organs outside of the lungs. The vast majority of primary lung cancers are carcinomas of the lung, derived from epithelial cells. Lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer-related death in men and also the most common in women, is responsible for 1.3 million deaths worldwide annually. The most common symptoms of lung cancer are shortness of breath, coughing (including coughing up blood), and weight loss.
The main types of lung cancer are small cell lung carcinoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma. The most common cause of lung cancer is long-term exposure to tobacco smoke. As many as 15% of cases of lung cancer occur in nonsmokers, and this is often attributed to a combination of genetic factors, radon gas, asbestos, and air pollution, including secondhand smoke.
Lung cancer may be seen on chest x-ray and on a CAT scan. The diagnosis is usually confirmed with a biopsy of the lung. Possible treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. With treatment, the five-year survival rate is 14%.
(Sources: National Institutes of Health/ Wikipedia with links to Wikipedia)
