Lung cancer is a slow disease that slowly eats your lungs like a termite eats the food and leaves nothing but a hollow structure that is always ready to collapse. Lung cancer destroys your lungs until they finally collapse. It comes as no wonder that lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death all around the world after cardiovascular diseases. In that regard, it is important to know everything about lung cancer, from causes to symptoms, so that you may take precautions. This post focuses on explaining everything related to lung cancer, including signs, risks, and support.
Understand Lung Cancer and its Types
Lung cancer starts in the lungs, and it might begin to impact other parts of the body if it continues to grow. The abnormal growth of cells in the lungs causes mutation, which causes lung cancer. Death of old cells and the birth of new cells is completely normal. However, sometimes cells show abnormal growth and continue to develop. This is the cause of lung cancer. Depending upon the origin of the cells, there are two kinds of lung cancer.
The types of lung cancer include non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is one of the most common types of lung cancer. It accounts for almost 80% of lung cancer cases. Some of the most common types of this cancer include adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. This type spreads slowly and is easy to treat.
On the other hand, small-cell lung cancer grows rapidly, and it is quite difficult to treat as there are no symptoms of it until it reaches an advanced stage. It is a small lung tumor that grows into different parts of the body. The types of small-cell lung cancer include small-cell carcinoma and combined small-cell carcinoma. The development of lung cancer poses many challenges, such as extreme difficulty in breathing, very little to no physical activity, and emotional challenges.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer signs and symptoms vary from patient to patient. However, in many cases, the symptoms are very subtle and often resemble a normal respiratory disorder or an infection. Nevertheless, it does not matter what the signs are. It is important to note the symptoms and go for a lung scan or lung cancer screening with the consultation of a doctor. Some of the most common signs include frequent respiratory infections, constant pain in the chest, and extreme cough. Apart from that, some common symptoms include the following:
- Extreme body aches all the time.
- Feeling tired all the time
- Weight loss without any reason
- Swelling in the face or neck
- Loss of appetite
- Pain in some bones of the body
- Shortness of breath without any physical activity
- Coughing up blood
Apart from that, there are repeated episodes of pneumonia. In addition, there might be a sign of pain under the right rib cage. The pain under the right rib cage is an indication of an advanced stage of cancer when it starts to impact the other parts of the body.
What are the Risk Factors of Lung Cancer?
Family history plays an integral role in lung cancer. If you are a smoker, then you are at high risk of lung cancer. In addition, exposure to toxins and other air pollutants also poses risks. Nevertheless, the long-term risk factors of lung cancer include that the next generation might be at high risk of lung related disease. This impact is dangerous as it puts so many lives at risk.
Detection of Lung Cancer and CT Angiogram
Lung cancer does not come to the surface until it reaches an advanced stage. However, lung scans and CT angiography play an important role in the early detection of lung cancer. Lung scan relies on CT technology to capture detailed images of the lungs. These images highlight any abnormality within the lungs. On the other hand, CT angiography uses a dye that is injected int the arm. This dye works to highlight every vein in the lungs and detects any blockage and narrowing of veins. In this way, these scans hold importance.
Conclusion
Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death all around the world after cardiovascular diseases. Death of old cells and the birth of new cells is completely normal. However, sometimes cells show abnormal growth and continue to develop. Lung cancer starts in the lungs, and it might begin to impact other parts of the body if it continues to grow. If you want to take preventive measures and go for lung cancer screening, then you must visit ViaScan of Las Colinas. They have an expert team that guides you about everything related to lung scan procedures.