LUNG CANCER

Information on Lung Cancer



LUNGS:
" INTRODUCTION
" DIAPHRAGM
" STRUCTURE OF THE LUNGS
" BREATHING
" AEROBIC RESPIRATION
" DISEASES OF THE LUNG
" Lung Abscess
" Lung Biopsy
" Lung Cancer
" Lung Cancer, Non-small Cell
" Lung Cancer, Small Cell
" Lung diseases due to gas or chemical exposure
" Lung perfusion and ventilation scan
" Lung Surgery
" Lung Transplantation
Respiratory System STRUCTURE:
" Nasal Passages
" Pharynx
" Larynx
" Trachea, Bronchi, and Bronchioles
" Alveoli
" RESPIRATORY REGULATION " HAZARDS

What is cancer?

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells in an organ, such as the lung, colon or skin. Cancer cells grow together to form a mass called a tumor. Benign (non-cancerous) cells can also grow and spread, but are not invasive. Cancer can be life threatening, because malignant cells can invade surrounding tissue and spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body. Early detection before the cancer spreads provides the best chance of cure.

What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer. In 2006 there will be approximately 174,470 new cases of lung cancer. About one third of all cancer deaths in the United States are due to lung cancer. Nearly 90 percent of lung cancer cases are related to smoking. Usually beginning in an airway called a bronchus, lung cancer takes many years before symptoms develop. In most cases, by the time the original lung tumor is large enough to cause breathing difficulties or other symptoms , the cancer has metastasized, or spread to organs outside the lung.

Medical researchers are beginning to unravel the complexities of lung cancer and are developing better methods for the diagnosis and treatment . Attempts at general screening for this disease have not yet improved survival and are not recommended unless in a research program. Early stage lung cancer detection, advances in treatment for lung cancer and palliative care have improved life expectancy and quality for people in later stages of lung cancer.

World Health Organization

Bronchodilators

Bronchodilators are medicines that help open the bronchial tubes (airways) of the lungs, allowing more air to flow through them.

Next: Bronchodilators

Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy allows a doctor to examine inside your airway for any abnormality such as foreign bodies, bleeding, a tumor, or inflammation. The doctor uses either a rigid bronchoscope or flexible bronchoscope.

Next: Bronchoscopy

Respiratory System

Respiratory System, in anatomy and physiology, organs that deliver oxygen to the circulatory system for transport to all body cells. Oxygen is essential for cells, which use this vital substance to liberate the energy needed for cellular activities.

Next: Respiratory System