History shows that some 150 years ago lung cancer represented only about 1% of all cancers. Today it is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States and the leading cause of cancer deaths in women . Worldwide it kills over one million people per year.
Non-small cell lung cancer is transmitted through primary and secondary smoking. A person who smokes may have lung cancer but a person who “smells” the smoke for long enough may also be diagnosed with the cancer.
NSCLC is often asymptomatic, however one is encouraged to see a doctor if any of the following symptoms apply: a cough that doesn't subside, trouble breathing, chest discomfort, wheezing, streaks of blood in sputum (mucus coughed up from lungs), hoarseness, loss of appetite, weight loss for no known reasons, and feeling very tired. Doctors can use certain tests to check your lungs for any unusual activity.
The most effective treatment for non-small cell lung cancer is surgery. Through surgery, parts of or the whole of the lung is removed. Other treatment options include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, laser therapy and photo dynamic therapy. Radiation therapy x-rays the cancer cells in an attempt to kill them. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill the cancer cells. Laser therapy kills the cells through a laser, and photo dynamic therapy uses a light which activates a drug in the body that kills the cancer cells on its own.
Possible results of non-small cell lung cancer, especially untreated NSCLC, has many dangers. For one thing, the cancer cells may spread beyond the lungs; a possibly deadly circumstance. However, certain people may also have side effects to the treatment. Surgery is never absolutely safe and chemotherapy and radiation therapy may cause temporary or permanent effects.
A May 20 th article in The Boston Globe , noted that 60%-80% of people with lung cancer continue to work or return to work after treatment. "Twenty years ago, being treated for cancer was a full-time job," said Cancer Care Executive Director Diane Blum, who was quoted in the article. "Now symptoms are managed better, treatment is outpatient. People are often able to live their lives with some semblance of normality." Also, until now, people experiencing memory and thinking problems after chemotherapy treatment were pretty much ignored. Today, however, thanks to increased research and patient advocacy, chemobrain is more widely recognized as a real medical condition. This is the most recent discovery about NSCLC.
Thanks Brigid