It is not uncommon for symptoms of lung cancer to appear immediately. In this case, malaise can be characteristic of other diseases. When diagnosing such an ailment, the doctor should prescribe a thorough examination. Whether therapy is successful depends on many factors. You can avoid the development of serious complications by promptly seeking help from specialists. So what is lung carcinoma?
Basic concept
Lung cancer is a carcinoma. In other words, this is a neoplasm in the respiratory system. A malignant tumor is localized in the area of \u200b\u200bthe lungs or bronchi. Among oncological pathologies, lung carcinoma ranks second. And in some countries the first.
If you do not see a doctor in time, such a disease can cause the development of irreversible processes. In such cases, the disease can lead to death. According to statistics, mortality due to lung carcinoma has the highest rate among oncological diseases.diseases.
Small cell lung carcinoma
This is a type of respiratory cancer. According to statistics, a malignant tumor occupies only 1/5 of the total number of oncological diseases. Often this pathology is called low-grade lung carcinoma.
This type of cancer is often diagnosed in a patient with a delay, since such an oncological disease has not pronounced symptoms. However, the development of the disease is characterized by a fairly rapid course, as well as the appearance of metastases.
Second variety
The second type is called non-small cell carcinoma. In this case, the disease has several subspecies. Their classification depends on the tissues that have been affected by the disease. At the moment, the following ailments are diagnosed:
- Lung adenocarcinoma is a malignant neoplasm that primarily affects those cells that are involved in the production of mucus. This type of lung cancer, according to statistics, ranks second.
- Large cell lung carcinoma. In this case, neoplasms are formed from cells that have a rounded shape. A malignant tumor is formed in the layers of non-keratinized epithelium. Often the initial stage of such a pathology goes unnoticed by the patient.
- Glandular carcinoma - a neoplasm mainly consists of glandular tissues only. Cancer development begins in the so-called cambial cells. In this case, the tumor outwardly resembles a gray or brown knot.yellow shade.
- Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung - cancer begins in the cells lining the respiratory tract. This is one of the most common oncological pathologies. According to statistics, the disease ranks first.
- Bronchoalveolar carcinoma - in the formation of a tumor in this case, cells that form mucus are involved, as well as those that do not secrete it. The spreading process preserves the structure of the alveoli without destroying the architectonics of the lungs.
The main cause of the development of the disease
Lung cancer is a carcinoma, the main causes of which are far from being identified. The conducted studies have made it possible to establish that there is a certain relationship between the occurrence of the disease and the influence of certain factors. Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. Indeed, when inhaling smoke, the patient poisons his body with 60 carcinogens, including:
- benzapyrene;
- radioisotopes of radon;
- nitrosamine.
The main component is nicotine. This substance can cause the development of a huge number of pathologies in the human body. At the same time, nicotine is the initiator of the occurrence of malignant tumors. After all, the substance can depress the immune system. Only 10% of people with lung cancer are not related to tobacco smoking.
Those who suffer from this addiction endanger those around them. Studies have shown that the smoke that comes out of the lungs intothe process of smoking is much more dangerous than what is inhaled by the smoker. It contains even more harmful components. Those who are near a smoking person suffer from passive smoking.
The harm caused by tobacco depends on the intensity of smoking, as well as on the experience. Those who cannot get rid of a bad habit and smoke for more than 2 years are at risk. In addition, much depends on how many cigarettes a person needs per day. If a person completely refuses tobacco, then the process of lung recovery starts.
Other factors
Lung cancer can develop not only because of smoking. There are other factors that cause the development of such a pathology. These should include:
- Dust. Its particles, having entered the body through the respiratory tract, can cause the development of cancer. The size of the fractions is also important. Very small particles can penetrate deeply into lung tissue.
- Viruses. Some pathogenic microorganisms can lead to the development of lung cancer. They activate the processes of uncontrolled cell division. These pathogens include: papillomavirus, cytomegalovirus.
- Radon. During the decay of uranium, radioactive radium is released. Both substances are very dangerous. However, when radium decays, radon is formed. This gas is able to stand out from the layers of the earth. It all depends on the composition of the breed. In this case, the substance is able to accumulate in certain materials, the walls of buildings. Gas may well cause the development of lung carcinoma.
- Asbestos- a substance that provokes the development of oncological processes.
Main symptoms of the disease
How does lung carcinoma manifest itself? Symptoms of the disease may not appear for a long time. In general, the following conditions and pathologies should be attributed to the signs of the disease:
- loss of consciousness;
- headache and dizziness;
- vision problems;
- susceptibility to respiratory infections;
- wheezing in the lung area;
- presence of sputum that is brown and streaked with blood;
- shortness of breath, which may worsen with increased exertion;
- temperature increase for no apparent reason;
- numbness of fingers;
- shoulder pain;
- weight loss and lack of appetite;
- chronic cough;
- chest pain that worsens with deep breaths.
And even with such signs of the disease, you can skip its initial stage. After all, many lung diseases have similar symptoms. You can completely get rid of a terrible disease only at the initial stage.
Signs of other stages of cancer
If lung carcinoma has led to the development of more serious complications, then the patient may suffer from other symptoms, including:
- pain in the bones;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- jaundice of the sclera and skin.
Stages of disease
The danger of such a pathological process is largely due to the stages of development and spread of the disease, not only in the lungs, but also in other tissues and organs. At the moment, doctors call 4 degrees of the disease:
- The first stage. The neoplasm does not affect the tissues located nearby, and has a clear localization site. At the same time, the size of the tumor does not exceed 3 cm. Carcinoma affects only one segment of the bronchus or lung.
- Second stage. The tumor gradually spreads, and its size reaches 6 cm. In the lymph nodes located nearby, there are single metastases.
- Third stage. At this stage, the pathological process affects not only the lymph nodes, but also neighboring organs and tissues: the pleura, bones, blood vessels, esophagus. In this case, the neoplasm exceeds 6 cm in size and extends beyond one segment.
- How does lung carcinoma manifest itself at this stage? Stage 4 has more serious complications. In most cases, it is no longer possible to help the patient, since the tumor spreads beyond the respiratory organs. Not only local, but also distant metastases appear.
Basic diagnostic methods
First, the patient should consult a doctor who, after a thorough examination, will prescribe an additional examination. At the moment, there are many methods to diagnose lung carcinoma. These should include:
- bronchoscopy;
- radiological examination;
- biopsy;
- cancer markers;
- ultrasonicstudy.
Each of the methods has its own characteristics. It is they who make it possible to determine the presence of oncological pathology at the initial stage of development. The main thing is to contact a specialist in time.
Can it be cured
How is lung carcinoma treated? Treatment should be carried out promptly. Otherwise, the malignant neoplasm will only increase. Therefore, the most important method of therapy is surgery. If the situation allows, then not only the tumor is removed, but also the lymph node and tissues located nearby are captured.
If it is impossible to carry out surgery, palliative methods are used, which can significantly alleviate the patient's condition. If the moment is missed, and distant metastases appear, then such methods of therapy are abandoned.
Is chemotherapy and radiotherapy used
The choice of therapy depends on many factors, including the stage of lung carcinoma. The drug for chemotherapy is selected for each patient individually. This is the only way to cope with the type of cancer that was found in the patient. Such therapy can significantly improve the patient's condition, while reducing the size of the tumor. However, this method, unfortunately, does not allow to completely rid a person of the disease.
Chemotherapy is usually given to prepare a person for surgery. It can also be used after surgery to completely destroy the affected cells that can cause the re-development of carcinoma. It should be noted that chemotherapyin some cases, it is prescribed to improve quality, as well as to prolong human life.
Radiotherapy is carried out in the same way.
Lung carcinoma: prognosis
If a patient has not applied for qualified help within 2 years, then the chances of recovery are significantly reduced. Statistics show that 90% of cases are fatal.
If a surgical intervention was performed in a timely manner, and then the effect was fixed with radiation therapy or chemotherapy, then 70% of patients get the opportunity to live for about 5 more years.
Maintenance care
There are situations when a patient cannot be subjected to chemotherapy and surgery. Then a special treatment is prescribed that can significantly alleviate his condition, as well as prolong life. Such cases are not uncommon in the diagnosis of the last stage of lung carcinoma. In such situations, the patient can be carried out, individually selected, all procedures:
- psychological help;
- symptom relief;
- blood transfusion;
- pain relief;
- detox.
Disease prevention
To avoid the development of lung carcinoma, it is recommended to minimize all contact with carcinogenic substances, ventilate the room as often as possible, while doing wet cleaning. You should also stop smoking tobacco products. If you work in a workplace where the concentration of dust is high, then such work should be abandoned orapply reliable means of protection.
To detect the development of the oncological process at an early stage, experts recommend undergoing fluorography once a year.
