lung cancer | Lung Cancer-Symptoms and causes

Lung Cancer-Symptoms and causes

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Lung cancers are the most common in the world with 900 000 new cases per year in humans and 330 000 in women. Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer with nearly 40000 new cases per year. More than 4 out of 5 lung cancers are related to tobacco. Men are currently more affected than women. Nevertheless, this trend tends to disappear in view of the increase in female smoking. Lung cancer is the leading cause of human mortality.

Definition
Lung cancer, also called bronchial cancer or lung cancer, is a malignant tumor developed from the lung cells. There are different kinds of lung cancers, such as small cell cancer, very aggressive, or adenocarcinomas, squamous carcinomas among others...

Oncologists distinguish two broad categories of bronchial cancers according to the typology of cancer cells. Thus, "non-small Cell" cancer represents nearly 80% of lung cancers. In this family, bronchial adenocarcinoma, squamous carcinoma and large cell carcinoma are found. "Small Cell" cancers are the remaining 20%. If they are less numerous, they are however more aggressive because of a rapid proliferation of cancer cells which increases the risk of metastasis.

This is the fourth cancer in terms of frequency in France, but it is the most deadly. The main risk factor behind the development of lung cancer is smoking exposure, especially its duration.
Statistics
Lung cancer has become the first cause of cancer mortality in France and around the world. The shadow of new cases of lung cancer in France in 2012 is 39 495 with 28 211 men and 11 284 women and the number of deaths from lung cancers in 2012 is 29 949 with 21 326 men and 8 623 women. (Sources: INCA). Lung cancer is today the leading cause of cancer deaths in France and the world. A decrease in the number of cases of lung cancer is currently observed in men while it is constant progression among women in which the number of new cases diagnosed each year has been multiplied by 7 in 30 years. Women are therefore increasingly affected by lung cancer which will exceed the figure of breast cancers. It is the second cause of death in women after breast. A worker dies three times more lung cancer than a frame and 70% of workers exposed to carcinogens are workers.
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Causes
Smoking is the main etiology of lung cancer. According to estimates, nearly 92% of deaths from lung cancer in humans are the result of tobacco consumption. It should be known that the risk increases according to several parameters: daily dose of tobacco, duration of smoking... The length of time you smoke seems more important than the amount of cigarettes smoked. Young people smoking more and more early, the age of the disease has rejuvenated and it has been manifested as early as 40 years.

However, other external factors may be involved in the occurrence of bronchial cancer. This is the case, in particular, of prolonged exposure to radioactive substances, asbestos or other toxic materials (arsenic, nickel, chromium...). Risk factors include cannabis use, chronic inflammatory bronchial diseases or air pollution. 

Tobacco

Passive smoking increases the risk of lung cancer by 30% compared to a person who evolves in a tobacco-free environment. Quitting smoking remains a major prevention measure to reduce the risk of developing lung cancer. Quitting smoking or not starting to smoke decreases the risk of lung cancer occurring. But it seems that this risk continues after the stop and remains higher than those who have never smoked. The specialists (oncologists, tabacologues) advise former smokers to monitor their lungs for at least two years after the stop. Some specialists recommend to pass a scanner twice a year for 2 years. 

Cannabis

Cannabis use is a risk factor cannabis smoke contains four times more tar than tobacco and more carcinogenic substances. The active principle of cannabis, THC, dilates the bronchi, thus facilitating the penetration of smoke and its toxicants. 

Exposure to occupational carcinogenic factors

Occupational exposure to carcinogenic factors, such as asbestos, for example, are risk factors for the onset of lung cancer.

Symptoms

It is possible that a person with lung cancer has no symptoms. Signals must, however, alert: a cough that will intensify and not stop, sputum of blood, persistent pain in the chest accentuated during coughing, difficult breathing, weight loss, greater exposure to Repeating bronchitis... Loss of appetite, chronic fatigue, headaches can also be symptoms. 

Several symptoms, possibly minor and common to many diseases, can lead to the discovery of lung cancer such as a cough, shortness of breath, blood spitting, an alteration of the general condition, a ganglion at the level of Clavicles or at the base of the neck, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, slimming, chest pain, etc. 

Diagnosis

Tobacco is the main risk factor for lung cancer. Chest X-ray remains the major test to be performed when lung cancer is suspected. When an anomaly is detected, a scanner is offered. A bronchial fibroscopy is used to visualize the lesions and to extract a fragment for analysis during a biopsy. When the tumor is not accessible by practicing a fibroscopy, the diagnosis can be made by performing a cross-parietal puncture under scanner, followed by a biopsy of the swab. A biopsy can be performed during an extension checkup surgery

It can comprendreun abdominal scan, hepatic and adrenal ultrasound, MRI or brain scan and a scan in case of bone pain. Other exams can be done according to the results of the previous ones. 

Smoking cessation

Smoking cessation one of the main measures to be taken as soon as the diagnosis is announced.

Treatment

The treatment depends on the type of bronchial cancer, its extension of the existence of metastasis. Surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy can be offered. Several therapeutic solutions combine one or the other of these treatments. The surgery will be able to remove part of a lung, still referred to as the lobectomy. Sometimes a whole lung is removed: we talk about pneumonectomy. An ultrasound treatment of prostate cancer, representing an alternative to surgery and radiotherapy, associating MRI and 3d ultrasound, can be proposed to better target the tumor and decrease the side effects as a general rule, Surgical ablation of the tumor and the corresponding lymph nodes is recommended. But if surgery corresponds to the first-line treatment in the presence of a cancer  "not small cells ", it is generally not conceivable in the face of cancer to "small cells " which has metastasized. In this case, the use of chemotherapy is privileged in order to eradicate cancer cells. 

Prevention

Knowing that in most cases patients with lung cancer are smokers, the first prevention is of course the cessation of tobacco. Passive smoking must also be avoided.