Lung Cancer
Lung Cancer
The deadliest kind of cancer is lung cancer. People suffer each year from its devastating and lasting effects. It is the foremost cause of cancer death and is the second most common type of cancer. Men and women both have lung cancer. It affects over 200,000 people every year in the United States. 116,900 men and 103,350 women were diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009 according to the American Cancer Society. Also, 159,390 people have died from lung cancer in this year. African American men have the highest occurrence of lung cancer and the lowest survival rate (Science Daily). I will be explaining what lung cancer is, the types, risk factors, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments. Lung cancer is uncontrolled abnormal cell growth in the lungs. The abnormal cells do not carry out the normal functions of a healthy cell. As they grow, tumors can grow which can further obstruct the function of the lungs. Many different cells make up the lungs. The majority of the cells are epithelial cells which line the airways and produce mucus, which lubricates and protects the lung (ASCO Cancer Foundation). Without these cells properly functioning, the lungs are not able to provide the needed oxygen. Lungs are a vital organ in the human body. They take in oxygen in the air and supply it to the body by the use of the bloodstream (Cancer Care). Small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are the two types of lung cancer. The more common of the two is NSCLC, which is derived from the epithelial cells. Only 15% of lung cancer cases are of small cell lung cancer (Medline Plus). Small cell lung cancer comes from nerve cells and gets its name from its shape and size under a microscope. The difference between small cell lung cancer and NSCLC is highly important because it determines the type of treatment (Cancer Care). Those with small cell lung cancer are higher at risk to develop lung cancer again. Small lung cancer spreads faster than NSCLC
The deadliest kind of cancer is lung cancer. People suffer each year from its devastating and lasting effects. It is the foremost cause of cancer death and is the second most common type of cancer. Men and women both have lung cancer. It affects over 200,000 people every year in the United States. 116,900 men and 103,350 women were diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009 according to the American Cancer Society. Also, 159,390 people have died from lung cancer in this year. African American men have the highest occurrence of lung cancer and the lowest survival rate (Science Daily). I will be explaining what lung cancer is, the types, risk factors, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments. Lung cancer is uncontrolled abnormal cell growth in the lungs. The abnormal cells do not carry out the normal functions of a healthy cell. As they grow, tumors can grow which can further obstruct the function of the lungs. Many different cells make up the lungs. The majority of the cells are epithelial cells which line the airways and produce mucus, which lubricates and protects the lung (ASCO Cancer Foundation). Without these cells properly functioning, the lungs are not able to provide the needed oxygen. Lungs are a vital organ in the human body. They take in oxygen in the air and supply it to the body by the use of the bloodstream (Cancer Care). Small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are the two types of lung cancer. The more common of the two is NSCLC, which is derived from the epithelial cells. Only 15% of lung cancer cases are of small cell lung cancer (Medline Plus). Small cell lung cancer comes from nerve cells and gets its name from its shape and size under a microscope. The difference between small cell lung cancer and NSCLC is highly important because it determines the type of treatment (Cancer Care). Those with small cell lung cancer are higher at risk to develop lung cancer again. Small lung cancer spreads faster than NSCLC