What is Lung Cancer
Cancer (as the global name) is a disease that starts in our cells. Our bodies are made up of millions of cells, grouped together to form tissues and organs such as muscles and bones, the lungs and the liver. Genes inside each cell order it to grow, work, reproduce and die. Normally, our cells obey these orders and we remain healthy. But sometimes the instructions get mixed up, causing the cells to form lumps or tumors, or spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body.
Tumors can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Benign tumor cells stay in one place in the body and are not usually life-threatening.
Malignant tumor cells are able to invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer cells that spread to other parts of the body are called metastases.
The first sign that a malignant tumor has spread (metastasized) is often swelling of nearby lymph nodes, but cancer can metastasize to almost any part of the body. It is important to find malignant tumors as early as possible.
Cancers are named after the part of the body where they start. For example, cancer that starts in the lung but spreads to the bladder is called lung cancer with bladder metastases.
Lung cancer starts in the cells of the lung. The right lung has three main parts, called lobes whilst the left lung is a bit smaller and has two lobes. The lungs are cushioned and protected by a thin covering called the pleura. The pleura has two layers of tissue: one layer covers the lungs and the other lines the inside wall of the chest. There is a small amount of fluid (pleural fluid) between the two layers of the pleura.
There are two main types of lung cancer:
• Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer. It grows more slowly than small cell lung cancer.
• Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) grows quickly and often spreads to distant parts of the body.
Because each type of lung cancer behaves quite differently, they are treated differently but the exact treatment regime will also depend on the staging of the disease.
Non-small cell lung cancer in advanced stages may be treated by resection. Resection is the surgical removal of the affected lung tissue to remove all or part of the tumor. While it may be possible to completely remove the tumor, this may not always be possible , however the fact that the tumor is reduced in size and extent through surgery means it is possible to re-stage the condition. This re-staging may result in other therapies becoming appropriate for the remaining tumor resulting in remission.
In any event, with non-small cell patients, it is common for a period of treatment using chemotherapy and radiation therapy to be administered both post-operatively, after a resection, or where the tumor is staged as small enough, i.e. at an early stage, surgery may not be necessary in any event. The patients overall health will also play a part in this decision as such treatments can be debilitating for the patient.
In small cell lung cancer patients, chemotherapy and radiation treatments are the only realistic means of treating the condition, however the results are generally not positive in providing remission though they are successful at extending the patient’s life.