Lung Cancer - Risk Factors - Smoking
Researchers have associated various risk factors and causes with lung cancer, and most are related to smoking. However, the chances of developing lung cancer can also be increased by:
Smoking
Exposure to Radon
Exposure to Asbestos
Exposure to Pollution
Exposure to certain diseases
Family or Personal History of cancer
Age
In fact, 85% of all lung cancers are caused by smoking or by breathing in the second-hand smoke of others.
In this article, we examine the risks associated with smoking.
Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 different chemicals, and many of these are known to be carcinogens (substances that cause cancer). Smoking greatly increases the chance of developing lung cancer and also greatly increases the chances of developing a range of other serious illnesses.
People who smoke cigarettes, pipes, cigars, are far more likely to develop lung cancer, as are passive smokers, which are those exposed to the smoke exhaled by these practices. In fact, passive smokers may be more likely than smokers to develop lung cancer and other health issues because the smoke is entering their lungs unfiltered.
The risk of developing lung and other cancers and health issues depends on:
The age of the person when they first started smoking - the younger they were when they started smoking, the higher the risk.
The number of years that a person has smoked - the more years, the higher the risk.
The number of times per day they smoke - the more smokes / day, the higher the risk.
How deeply they inhale - deeper inhalations mean greater risk.
Recent research indicates that changing to "low tar" and "low nicotine" cigarettes have little, if any, affect on improving the health prospects of a smoker. Sadly, it appears that another generation of smokers have been deceived by profit hungry tobacco companies, believing that these "lighter" cigarettes were more "healthy" than the "heavier" cigarettes.
Cigarettes have been known to cause lung cancer since at least the early 1970's, when health and lung cancer warnings were printed on cigarette packets. However, these warnings have caused little decrease in demand, and little decrease in the take-up of smoking by young people. Sadly, stupid or easily led people continue to take-up smoking.
Cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and all other smoke products (tobacco, marijuana, etc) can be harmful to the lungs in large or frequent doses. The smoke from these substances contains particles that can irritate sensitive lung tissue, causing long term damage over time. In addition, these products may contain pesticides, fertilisers, and other harmful chemicals and substances that can irritate sensitive lung tissue, and cause cancer and a range of other serious health issues. These products also contain carcinogens, which are chemicals and substances that are known to cause cancer. Any human tissue exposed to these chemicals can develop cancer, including, but not limited to, the lungs, mouth, and throat.
Cigars and pipes are believed to be safer than cigarettes, but cigar and pipe smokers still have a much higher risk of developing lung cancer and other health problems than non-smokers. Even cigar and pipe smokers who do not inhale are at increased risk for lung, mouth, and other types of cancer.
Passive smokers may be more likely than smokers to develop lung cancer and other health issues because the smoke is entering their lungs unfiltered. Such Passive Smoking is also known as Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) or second-hand smoke. In Europe, USA, UK, Australia, and many other places in the world, very significant steps have been taken in recent times to greatly reduce people's exposure to second-hand smoke by banning smoking on or near restaurants, bars, work places, airline flights, trains, buses, and so on. As other countries follow suit, the health problems and health costs caused by passive smoking should be greatly reduced.
Cigarettes are the main factor for causing cancer. Not only do they generate or cause cancerous cells, but they also seem to nourish them and encourage them to grow into uncontrollable and troublesome masses of cells.
In addition, it is commonly believed that close relation exists between the compounds of phenol (contained cigarettes) in and growth of cancerous cells.
Recently in some countries, smokers who have been shown to have caused cancer to passive smokers are deemed to have committed homicide, and have been subject to various legal actions.
As well as lung cancer, smoking is also known to cause various other cancers, such as cancer of the voice-box (larynx), mouth, throat, oesophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, and stomach.
Researchers around the world continue to study the causes of lung and other cancers and to search for ways to prevent or cure them. The best way to prevent lung cancer and a range of other serious health complications is to quit smoking, or better yet, never start smoking in the first place. The sooner a person quits smoking the better their prospects for a healthy future. Even if someone has been smoking for many years, it's never too late to benefit from quitting.
Lung Cancer - Overview
Lung Cancer is a type of cancer that forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages. Many lung cancers begin in the bronchi though others can start in other parts of the lungs. Lung cancer also has a tendency to form in the glands below the bronchi.
Lung Cancer - Probabilities
Lung cancer causes up to 30% of all cancer related deaths, and it is the 2nd leading cause of death among both men and women in western society. 85% of all lung cancers are caused by a person's smoking habit or just by breathing in the second-hand smoke of others.
Lung Cancer - Screening
At this moment in time, there is no particularly useful single test that can be considered 100% reliable for the early detection of lung cancer. Unfortunately unless someone is undergoing a health screen for something completely unrelated, lung cancer is very often only discovered in the later stages of the disease when it is often too late to do anything but offer palliative treatment.
Lung Cancer - Symptoms
The most common indicators and symptoms of lung cancer include the following: Fatigue Shortness of breath and wheezing (dyspnoea) A cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis Constant chest pain Coughing up blood (bloody sputum) (haemoptysis) Swelling of the neck and face Fever Loss of appetite and Weight loss (anorexia) Hoarse voice
Lung Cancer Treatment Options - Radiation
In many cases of lung cancer, surgery is not an option. This may be because of the advanced stage of the cancer, the location of the tumor or tumors, or because of the overall general health of the patient. In those cases, the oncologist may suggest radiation therapy to treat lung cancer. Even if surgery is an option, the doctor may suggest irradiation either before therapy to shrink the tumor or after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Lung Cancer - Trends by Ethnicity, Sex and Race
In the USA and many other western countries, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Lung cancer has been found to be the leading cancer killer among Caucasians, African-Americans, Asians and Hispanic males.