Filed under:
lung cancer, Prevention
Here are basic
lung cancer facts.
lung cancer is the
leading cause of cancer death and accounts for 30 percent of all cancer deaths.
lung cancer will kill more people this
year than the combined deaths from
breast cancer,
Prostate Cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer and
melanoma.
lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for men, and will cause the death of three times as
many men as
Prostate Cancer this year.
lung cancer will cause the cancer death of nearly twice as many women as breast
cancer this year. Over 50 percent of new
lung cancer cases will be diagnosed at a very late stage, and only five
percent of
lung cancer survivors live five years.
Of new
lung cancer diagnosis made this year, 35-40
percent are current smokers, 50 percent are former smokers, and 10-15 percent have never smoked. The risk factors
for
lung cancer are smoking, exposure to secondhand or passive smoke, radon, the
chemicals arsenic, asbestos, uranium, and diesel fuel.
Lung scarring from emphysema, COPD, or tuberculosis can lead to
lung cancer.
When
lung cancer does cause
symptoms, they are likely to be coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue, wheezing, pain in the chest, shoulder, upper
back, or arm, coughing up blood, repeated pneumonia or bronchitis, loss of appetite, weight loss, hoarseness or
swelling of face or neck.
If you smoke, or are a former smoker, it is important to have regular check-ups
and to watch for any changes in how you feel. Many people with
lung cancer have no symptoms until the disease has
advanced into late stages. If you have never smoked, and begin to notice any of the above symptoms, see your physician.
The symptoms of
lung cancer are similar to many other illnesses, but it is best to be on the safe side. Any cancer
diagnosed early leads to a better chance of survival.
