It tends to target both current and former smokers, which is not entirely true. While lung cancer has increased in women by 84% over the last 42 years, its incidence has decreased among men. However, overall rates have remained fairly steady. While smoking has been the leading risk factor for lung cancer, there are also other risk factors, such as exposure to industrial pollution and secondhand smoke.
Once the cancer has spread to the lungs, treatment options vary. Treatments are based on the type of cancer. While no one treatment will cure lung cancer, they can help reduce symptoms and improve your quality of life. Treatments for lung cancer can vary according to its stage, location, and stage. If you have a lung tumor, your doctor will use imaging tests to determine the location, size, and stage of the tumor. Some of these tests may be combined.
Your GP will organize initial tests to assess the extent of your condition. Your respiratory physician will arrange further tests. Depending on the stage of your lung cancer, you will be given a treatment plan that best suits your symptoms and overall health. You may also see a thoracic surgeon, medical oncologist, psychologist, or dietician. These health professionals will depend on the stage and type of the disease. Your cancer specialist should work closely with you to determine your best treatment options.
A CT scan can help locate tumors. Once the location is determined, the surgeon will insert a thin needle through your skin to remove a sample of tissue. Another procedure called needle aspiration can also be used. It is a less invasive way of biopsying the tissue around the tumor. Depending on where your cancer is located, the surgeon may also remove lymph nodes. This is important because the cancer cells can spread to lymph nodes and other parts of your body.
Exposure to various environmental and occupational factors increases the risk of lung cancer. Secondhand smoke, radiation therapy, and radon gas are all factors that increase the risk. Exposure to radon gas has been linked to 30 percent of all lung cancer deaths. You can find more information about lung cancer risk factors here. If you or someone you know is a smoker, take action now to protect yourself from the cancer that is caused by smoking.
Although smoking has been linked to a higher risk for lung cancer, it does not indicate that you have to stop altogether. There are many different treatment options for NSCLC. Surgical resection of NSCLC is typically done only on patients with a sufficient pulmonary reserve. A quantitative xenon radionuclide perfusion scan can determine how much function has been lost during the resection. If your preoperative FEV1 is less than two L, your doctor will likely recommend a different treatment method.
