Lung cancer
is rated as the most common cause for cancer related deaths. And in the year
2012 about 160000 deaths occurred due to lung cancer. This disease is quite
preventable in most cases, as in the case of tobacco smokers. Tobacco is a
declared carcinogenic substance, yet people continue to use it. By avoiding its
use the rate of deaths from lung cancer will surely fall drastically.
Sometimes
lung cancer might be caused by other reasons too. No matter what, the cancer
typically develops over a couple of years, and if you get diagnosed at an early
stage your chances of survival will also greatly increase. Before your
treatment begins, you will be fully diagnosed to provide the doctors accurate
information about the size, spread, location, stage, etc. of the cancer cells. You
might have to undergo several PET scans and CT scans.
Treatment options
Surgery
If the
cancer is confined to the lungs only, surgery is preferable. Lobectomy is a
process by which an entire lobe of the lung is removed along with the cancerous
cells. This procedure can take place only when the lungs are still functioning
properly. Sometimes when lobectomy is not preferred for a patient, a different
procedure is used where the cancer cells confined in one place are removed
along with the surrounding ling tissues.
Radiation Therapy
As in any
other cancer, radiation therapy destroys the fast dividing cancer cells by the
use of highly energised x-rays. It can be used as a primary treatment or to
reduce the size of the tumour before surgery.
Chemotherapy
This
process involves the intake of drugs which are toxic to the cancer cells and
destroy them when they come in contact with them. This therapy is used majorly
in the later stages of the cancer, when it has spread to different areas of the
body.
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