Myths about lung cancer

Spread of lung cancer

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:43:38 +0000

Lungs assist human beings in respiration process which is crucial for mans survival. They have many blood vessels associated with them. These vessels provide path through which blood travels to various parts of the body. The sad fact is that this path is not only used by blood but also by cancer cells to spread to various parts of body in quick span of time. Some of these cells are destroyed by human blood stream but if a cell persists then it develops in to tumors. The immune system in humans is rich in lymphatic vessels. They contain a fluid called lymph which is made up of white blood cells. They pass through lymph nodes before entering into blood circulation. Sometimes cancer cells may enter into lymph nodes and starts to procreate thus damaging the nodes. Staging is defined as the process employed to determine how far cancer has spread beyond original tumor cells. The factors that which influence this process are the size and characteristics of the tumor as well as the spread of cancer in lymph nodes.

Scanning for lung cancer

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:42:31 +0000

If the tests conducted for detecting lung cancer in a person turns out to be positive then several scans are taken to determine the location, size and severity of the cancer. These scans include CT-scan, ultrasound scan, MRI scan, bone scan, PET scan and thoracoscopy. CT-scans involves a series of X-rays which along with ultrasound scan gives a clear picture about the location of the cancer. Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) uses magnetism to scan through our body. Bone scan is quite interesting process in which a small quantity of radioactive material is shot into our bloodstream which accumulates at areas of cancer in bones. The radioactive material used for this process is generally innocuous. Positron emission tomography(PET) is similar to bone scan except for the use of radioactive drugs instead of material. This scan is used to determine the spread of cancer. Thoracoscopy is the latest scan method employed in which a tenuous tube carrying a camera is used to look into the chest of human body for investigating the spread and severity of cancer cells.

PDT for treating lung cancer

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:41:58 +0000

Chemo and radiation therapy are amongst the common for treating lung cancer. But doctors have been constantly engaged in finding better cure for the disease as the existing therapies can help people who have been diagnosed with stage one and stage two cancers. More over the cure is only temporary with these kinds of therapies. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an advanced form of laser therapy in which some kind of special chemical is injected into the bloodstream of human beings. This chemical is then absorbed by all cells in the body. The chemical has a tendency to live for a longer period on cancer cells than on normal cells. When cancer cells are exposed to laser light the chemical gets triggered and starts acting on the cancer cells. But it proves to be efficient only in the case of small tumors. A drawback of this kind of therapy is that it renders the patient’s skin and eye sensitive to light for a period of about one and half months. So the patients are generally advised to avoid direct sunlight for some weeks after undergoing such treatment.

Myths about lung cancer

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:40:32 +0000

Several myths prevail about lung cancer among people across the world. The most popular one is that lung cancer generally occurs in people who smoke. This is because of the fact that ten percent of overall people with lung cancer are chain smokers. Another myth is that people living in polluted cities are vulnerable to lung cancer because they are easily exposed to gases which are hazardous to human body. Some people also fear that lung cancer could be a hereditary disease which is inherited from their ancestors. But studies across the world show that there is no definite pattern or myth that lung cancer follows. It could be caused by environmental conditions, tobacco usage, exposure to carcinogens at working place etc. Passive smoking is another important cause for lung cancer in non-smokers. Some infectious agents such as Chlamydia pneumoniae, human papilloma virus and measles are also responsible for lung cancer. People having genetic sensitivity to lung cancer are more likely to develop the disease especially when combined with other possible factors such as habit of smoking.

Lung cancer-prevention

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:39:58 +0000

Prevention is better than cure has always been a far-famed quote and there is no doubt that it will continue to be so. Common people are well aware of the fact that lung cancer is a gaffer among deadly diseases. So rather than worrying about it after it gets into you the smarter way to take the appropriate steps necessary to reduce the risk of developing the disease. Obviously the first and foremost step would be to quit smoking if you are a smoker because if you continue with it then there is no getting away from it as it will get to you at some point or the other. And at the same time non smokers cannot be so sure that they are safe because they need to stay away from other causes such as passive smoking and exposure to radioactive gases. Apart from this people must have a constant check of the environment they live in to ensure that level of radon gas is down. Researchers are trying to synthesize agents which can reduce the risk of developing lung cancer in people.