Lung cancer

General characteristic of a disease

Now lung cancer advances all other oncological diseases by the number of the confirmed diagnoses. The tumor affects men 7-10 times more often, than women that is explained by addiction of the stronger sex to smoking and more harmful working conditions of traditionally "men's" professions. Let's notice also that lung cancer which symptoms can be shown at any age nevertheless most often occurs at persons 60 years are more senior.

The factors promoting developing of a disease

Smoking – the main reason of emergence of lung cancer. Tobacco smoke contains a huge number of carcinogenic substances which break structure of an epithelium of bronchial tubes, exert impact on normal functioning of bodies of respiratory system and, eventually, lead to emergence of malignant new growths. The fact that fans of tobacco die of lung cancer much more often than adherents of a healthy lifestyle also demonstrates to undoubted harm of smoking. If you after all cannot refuse cigarettes, then choose products of the known brands. They use expensive grades of tobacco and surely supply cigarettes with the high-quality filter. And one more important addition: cancer therapy of lungs can be required not only by the smoker, but also people who surround it, tobacco smoke does harm even if not to drag on a cigarette, and just to inhale it.

Bad ecology – one more important factor promoting emergence and development of a disease. Symptoms of lung cancer are often shown at the people living in large megalopolises. Value and a profession of the person has. It is noticed that arsenic, asbestos dust, nickel and chrome provoke emergence of cancer cells and other inflammatory processes. It is especially characteristic of people whose bronchial tubes and lungs already suffered from a serious illness like tuberculosis or a pneumosclerosis.

Lung cancer – disease symptoms

Diagnosis of lung cancer is strongly complicated for the reason that at most of people early stages of a disease have no pronounced symptoms. It is enough to tell that now only in 15% of cases the disease is diagnosed in time, and doctors can take measures for prevention of spread of a tumor. But were even found in these early cases of a new growth after a X-ray analysis, a computer tomography and other methods appointed absolutely in a different way to an occasion. It is very alarming fact visually testimonial of that lung cancer is how dangerous. Metastasises appear when it is already extremely difficult to fight against them, and in many respects it explains the number of the deaths connected with development of tumors in lungs of the person.

We recommend to you to see immediately a doctor at emergence of the following symptoms:

• the constant pain in a thorax amplifying at exercise stresses and deep breath;
• the long cough which is not passing eventually;
• deterioration in appetite and sharp weight reduction;
• asthma;
• recurrence of the bronchitis postponed earlier or pneumonia.

Also lung cancer which metastasises appear in other bodies over time proves:

• ostealgia;
• dizziness;
• weakness and numbness of hands or legs, bystry fatigue;
• discoloration of eyes and skin.

Lung cancer stages

Cancer therapy of lungs depends on scales of spread of a disease on an organism and its weight. The stage of a disease is estimated on the basis of the sizes of a tumor, existence or lack of metastasises, associated diseases and some other factors. Definition of a stage of lung cancer is essential for selection of an optimum technique of treatment and forecasts of recovery. During the diagnostic actions doctors use a computer tomography, X-ray, a magnetic and resonant tomography, an osteostsintigrafiya and results of the general analyses.

Lung cancer is subdivided into 4 stages:

• I – the disease develops only in lungs;
• II and III – the tumor extends to the area of a thorax;
• IV – numerous mestastaza in the next bodies, distribution to the remote parts of a body.

Certainly, the greatest danger is constituted by heavy lung cancer. The 4th stage is characterized by changes in work of all main systems of an organism. Forecasts, as a rule, adverse, especially in case of old age of patients.

Diagnosis of lung cancer

The problem of timely detection of malignancies in bodies of respiratory system is not solved to this day. Strong indications of lung cancer are shown already at late stages of a disease, and up to this point usually reveal a disease accidentally, during diagnostic actions, directly not connected with tumors in any way. It is a little figures confirming an unfortunate trend:

• at the I stage lung cancer is found in 16% of patients;
• on II – at 20-35% of patients;
• on III – at 50-75% of patients;
• more than 10% of people see doctors when at them the 4th stage of lung cancer already develops.

Late diagnosis is explained by that, lung cancer how exactly proves. Disease symptoms at I and II stages are almost not expressed and give the minimum inconvenience because of what people do not hurry to see a doctor. Only regular dispensary researches, preventive and diagnostic actions directed to earlier detection of a serious illness including lung cancer can break this tendency.

As for diagnosis of lung cancer. The leading place is taken here by fluorography of a chest cavity. Despite its distribution, results of a research of pictures of potential patients unfavourable. It is possible to reveal a tumor at only 20-30 people from 10 thousand inspected. Does not raise doubts that the fluorography has to be supplemented with traditional physical inspections and tool receptions, for example, the X-ray inspections including tomograms, a computer tomography and survey roentgenograms. Quite good results are shown by the endoscopic bronkhologichesky inspection allowing to specify the sizes and morphological structure of a tumor.

If doctors have suspicions of lung cancer, but it is not possible to reveal a disease of traditional methods, it is reasonable to use the diagnostic torakoskopiya or a thoracotomy meaning an urgent biopsy from lymph nodes and the main center of defeat.

Carrying out all above described complex of actions allows to make the exact diagnosis, to define a stage of lung cancer and to choose the most effective tactics of treatment.

Cancer therapy of lungs

As well as many other oncological diseases, treatment of malignant new growths in lungs has to be complex. Now doctors in profile clinics use all achievements of modern clinical oncology: surgical and beam cancer therapy of lungs, chemotherapeutic the procedures combined methods.

Beam and chemotherapeutic therapies belong to conservative methods of treatment. They mean use of the powerful roentgenotherapeutic equipment, linear accelerators, gamma thrones and betatrons. Besides, here it is possible to refer also synthesis of new antineoplastic drugs. Let's notice that conservative methods considerably concede surgical in respect of efficiency, however, they have undoubted advantages. In particular, they do possible assistance to a large number of sick people that is impossible in a case with an operative measure which demands from performers of the highest qualification and experience.

Surgical cancer therapy of lungs assumes a resection of the struck fabrics taking into account all necessary oncological principles (the place of localization of a tumor, an equipment ablastichnost, zonality of innidiation, etc.). In most cases surgical intervention includes not only a resection of the affected lung, but also removal of regional lymph nodes.

Success of treatment depends on a stage of lung cancer, the sizes of a new growth, intensity of innidiation, a condition of an organism of the patient and other factors. At I and II stages the disease recovers in more than 70% of cases therefore we advise you to see a doctor at any adverse symptoms.

Modern methods of cancer therapy of lungs allow to perform more conservative surgeries and to considerably increase chance of the patient of recovery.