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Small cell lung cancer

January 20, 2018

Small cell lung cancer: Types of lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer is treatable and the patient can have a more comfortable life

Lung cancer is a disease that comes about when cells of the lung start growing and multiplying rapidly in an abnormal manner. Lung cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer deaths globally in both male and female gender. There are two main types of lung cancer. Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), sometimes called small-cell carcinoma, causes about 10%-15% of all lung cancer. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) causes the rest which forms the bigger percentage. These are very disturbing health conditions that must be addressed promptly. Doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed health and wellness resource center explains the major types of SCLC. And as we progress with the discussion, if you have any concern about lung cancer, you can schedule an appointment with her today.

Small cell lung cancer: The two types of SCLC

Small-cell carcinoma (oat cell cancer)
Combined small-cell carcinoma

Both include many types of cells that grow and spread in different ways. They are named according to what the cells look like under a microscope. Small-cell lung cancer differs from non-small-cell lung cancer in the following ways:

Small-cell lung cancer grows rapidly.
Small-cell lung cancer spreads much faster and quickly.
Small-cell lung cancer responds well to chemotherapy which uses medication to kill cancer cellsand radiation therapy which uses high dose X-rays to kill cancer cells
Small-cell lung cancer is frequently associated with distinct paraneoplastic syndromes (a collection of symptoms that result from substances produced by the tumor).

Small cell lung cancer: Small-cell lung cancer causes

The main cause of both small-cell lung cancer and non-small-cell lung cancer is cigarette smoking. Nevertheless, small-cell lung cancer is extra intensely associated to smoking than non-small cell lung cancer.
Consistent contact with radon which is an inert gas that develops from the decay of uranium has been reported to cause small-cell lung cancer.
Exposure to asbestos greatly increases the risk of lung cancer. A combination of asbestos exposure and cigarette smoking increases the risk even further.
Even secondhand cigarette smoke is a risk factor for lung cancer. Individuals living with a smoker have an increase in the risk of developing lung cancer compared to people who are not exposed to secondhand smoke.
All types of lung cancer occur with increased frequency in people who mine uranium, but small-cell lung cancer is most common. The prevalence is increased further in persons who smoke.

Small cell lung cancer: When to Seek Medical Care

Consult a doctor if any of the following symptoms are present:

Voice change
Mysterious weight loss
Unexplained persistent fatigue
Unsolved deep aches or pains
Shortness of breath
New cough or change in the consistency of a cough
Coughing up blood

When the following symptoms persist, you should consider that as an emergency and where possible you can call 911 for help immediately:

Sudden vision impairment
Sudden shortness of breath
Seizures
Coughing up large amounts of blood
Chest pain that is pounding
Abrupt or severe weakness of any limb

Small cell lung cancer: Types of lung cancer

Diagnosing NSCLC

January 20, 2018

Diagnosing NSCLC: Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Diagnosing NSCLC is very essential for proper and lasting treatment solution

Most lung cancer patients are struggling with NSCLC. Although it’s serious problem the world over, treatment can reduce its effects from worsening. There are several things patients can do to feel more comfortable. People who smoke or who breathe a lot of smoke are most likely to get NSCLC. And to diagnose this, the doctor will ask the patient questions like:

When did you first notice problems?
How have you been feeling?
Has anyone in your family had lung cancer before?
Does anything make your symptoms better or worse?
Are you smoking or you were but quitted?
Are you coughing or wheezing?

Besides the questioning, the doctor may want to run some tests and a physical exam. Such tests may include:

Diagnosing NSCLC

: Imaging tests

Imaging tests is essential in finding the tumors inside lungs. They can also show whether the cancer has spread.

X-rays use low doses of radiation to make images of structures inside your body.
MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, shows blood flow, organs, and structures.
Ultrasound creates a picture by bouncing sound waves off tissues inside you.
PET scans use a radioactive compound or tracer that collects where your cells are very active.
CT scans are powerful X-rays that make detailed pictures of the tissue and the blood vessels in the lung.

Sputum cytology is a lab test that checks the mucus you cough up for cancer cells.

Diagnosing NSCLC: Fine-needle aspiration

A fine needle aspiration biopsy takes cells from an abnormal growth or the fluid in your lungs. Where the doctor wants to examine inside your lungs and chest this is helpful using a thin, flexible tube with a light and tiny camera. He may also take samples of tissue, including from nearby lymph nodes, to check for cancer cells. This can be done in different ways like:

Bronchoscopy goes through your nose or mouth and into your lungs.
Endobronchial ultrasound uses bronchoscopy with an ultrasound placed at the tip of the tube to look at lymph nodes and other structures.
Endoscopic ultrasound is like the endobronchial ultrasound, but your doctor puts the endoscope down your throat into the esophagus.
Thoracoscopy uses a few small cuts along your side to look at the outside of your lung and the tissue around it.
Mediastinoscopy makes a small cut just above your breastbone, in the space between your lungs.

Based on what your doctor finds, he’ll assign a stage, describing where the cancer is. That will help your medical team figure out the best treatment for you. You’ll want to know what each stage means:

Occult stage: “Occult” means “hidden.” Cancer cells are in lung fluid or sputum, but the doctor can’t find where the cancer is in your lungs.
Stage 0: Cancer cells are in the lining of your airways.
Stage I: A small tumor is in only one lung. The cancer hasn’t spread to lymph nodes.
Stage II: A larger tumor is in one lung, or the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Stage III: Cancer in one lung has spread to farther lymph nodes or into nearby structures.
Stage IV: Cancer has spread to both lungs, to fluid around the lungs, or to other parts of the body, such as the brain and liver.

Diagnosing NSCLC: Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer types

January 20, 2018

Lung cancer types: Bronchogenic carcinomas

Lung cancer types are many and does not discriminate on gender

Lung cancers, are also referred to as bronchogenic carcinomas. Take note that carcinoma is another term for cancer. Lung cancer are broadly classified into two types as we had mention in our introduction blog. The classification include small cell lung cancers (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). This classification is based upon the microscopic appearance of the tumor cells. These two kinds of lung cancer types can grow, spread, and are treated in different ways, so a distinction between these two types is important.

Lung cancer types: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

SCLC contains about 10%-15% of lung cancers. It is the most aggressive and rapidly growing of all types of cancers. It’s majorly caused by cigarette smoking. SCLCs metastasize rapidly to other parts of the body. And since symptoms doesn’t show early, by the time it’s discovered the cancer has spread extensively.

Lung cancer types: Non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

This is very common, accounting for about 85% of all cases. It has three main types designated by the type of cells found in the tumor.

Adenocarcinomas are the most common type of NSCLC globally. Even though adenocarcinomas are associated with smoking like other lung cancers, this type is also seen in non-smokers especially women. Most adenocarcinomas arise in the outer, or peripheral, areas of the lungs. They also have a tendency to spread to the lymph nodes and beyond. People with this type of lung cancer tend to have a better prognosis than those with other types of lung cancer.
Squamous cell carcinomas were formerly more common than adenocarcinomas; today, they account for about 25% to 30% of all lung cancer cases. Also known as epidermoid carcinomas, squamous cell cancers arise most frequently in the central chest area in the bronchi. This type of lung cancer most often stays within the lung, spreads to lymph nodes, and grows quite large, forming a cavity.
Large cell carcinomas, sometimes referred to as undifferentiated carcinomas, are the least common type of NSCLC. This type of cancer has a high tendency to spread to the lymph nodes and distant sites.

Lung cancer types: Other types of cancers

These types are much less common than NSCLC and SCLC and together comprise only 5%-10% of lung cancers:

Bronchial carcinoids tumors are generally small (3-4 cm or less) when diagnosed and occur most commonly in persons under age 40. Unrelated to cigarette smoking, carcinoid tumors can metastasize, and a small proportion of these tumors secrete hormone-like substances. Carcinoids generally grow and spread more slowly than bronchogenic cancers, and many are detected early enough to be surgically removed.
Cancers of supporting lung tissue such as smooth muscle, blood vessels, or cells involved in the immune response are rare in the lung.

As discussed previously, metastatic cancers from other primary tumors in the body are often found in the lung. Tumors from anywhere in the body may spread to the lungs either through the bloodstream, through the lymphatic system, or directly from nearby organs. Metastatic tumors are most often multiple, scattered throughout the lung and concentrated in the outer areas rather than central areas of the organ.

Lung cancer types: Bronchogenic carcinomas

Lung cancer symptoms

January 20, 2018

Lung cancer symptoms: What you need to know

Lung cancer symptoms when noticed need urgent attention

Lung cancer symptoms are not very common at the very beginning of cancer formation. It therefore, means that when signs and symptoms begins to manifest, chances are that the disease in progressively growing or advancing to more disturbing stages. It is ironical that while many are struggling with the disease today, it is something that can easily be prevented. Just by keeping distance to cigarette smoking is a step in the right direction. And remember that, to be safe, you must also avoid inhaling the second hand smoke from smokers. This is very important and as doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed health and wellness resource center puts it, when finally the signs and symptoms of the disease start to appear, they will be many include:

Worsening shortness of breath
Wheezing
Trouble swallowing
Swelling of the neck and face
Sudden changes in a cough that you’ve had for a long time
Respiratory infections that keep coming back, including bronchitis or pneumonia
Pain and weakness in the shoulder, arm, or hand
Hoarseness
Fatigue, weakness, loss of weight and appetite, fever that comes and goes, severe headaches, and body pain
Endless chest pain
Continuing, hacking, raspy coughing, sometimes with mucus stained with spots of blood

These problems usually happen because of blocked breathing passages or because the cancer has spread farther into the lung, nearby areas, or other parts of the body. When we allude to the fact that prevention is better than cure, it needs to be taken seriously. Therefore, when you notice any of the listed signs and symptoms above, timely action must be taken. Remember that these could be an indication of the lung disease. Having mentioned that these signs will most like come later in the development of the problem, when signs like an ongoing cough, blood-streaked mucus, wheezing, hoarseness, or a lung infection that keeps coming back appears, seek medical attention immediately. The doctor will run several tests including an X- ray to determine whether it is lung cancer forming. And when confirmed, treatment will start immediately.

Lung cancer symptoms: How common is lung cancer?

Studies have suggested that lung cancer is responsible for the most cancer-related deaths for both men and women across the globe. According to the American Cancer Society, they’ve estimated that 228,190 new cases of lung cancer in the U.S. were diagnosed and 159,480 deaths due to lung cancer occurred in 2013 alone. They have also established that lung cancer was not as common before in the 1930s, but has increased dramatically over time following decades of tobacco smoking increased. In many developing countries, the incidence of lung cancer is beginning to fall because of education about the dangers of cigarette smoking and effective smoking cessation programs. Nevertheless, lung cancer remains the most common form of cancer in men worldwide and the fifth most common form of cancer in women the finding states.

Lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer in causing the most cancer-related deaths in women in the United States. It means that the sooner we pool together in fighting this the better for all of us. You can call us today at AWAREmed health center for all your concerns and will address them professionally.

Lung cancer symptoms: What you need to know

Lung cancer formation

January 20, 2018

Lung cancer formation: Types of lung cancer

Lung cancer formation. When a member of the family is affected, the whole family is too and a collective support is necessary

It is believed that lung cancer formation starts right in the lungs and then spreads to other parts of the body. This disease starts in the walls of the lungs airways scientifically known as bronchi or bronchioles or in the air sacs known as alveoli. Once present, the lung cancer stages advances to other body parts. A patient can identify lung cancer from certain symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing, bloody mucus and wheezing. This disease can be treated using surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. With the help of experts from AWAREmed health and wellness resource center, we will be discussing these progressively. In the meantime, we have over 20 types of lung cancers with the two major ones being non-small cell lung cancer and small-cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer formation: Non-small cell lung cancer

Adenocarcinoma is the most common kind of non-small cell lung cancer with up to 40% cases. It affects mostly smokers or those who had quitted smoking. It also top the list of among non-smokers. Women are more vulnerable to this cancer than men. It can spread rapidly to the lymph nodes, bones, or other organs like the liver.

Squamous cell carcinoma. This often starts in the lung’s largest branches, also known as central bronchi. It accounts for about 30% of all lung cancer cases with men being more vulnerable besides smokers. It may form a cavity within the tumor and can cause the patient to cough up some blood. Squamous cell carcinoma can also spread to the lymph nodes, bones, and other organs such as the liver.

Large-cell carcinomas are a group of cancers with large cells that tend to start along the lungs’ outer edges. They’re fewer than adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, making up 10%-15% of lung cancers. This type of tumor can grow faster and often spreads to nearby lymph nodes and distant parts of the body.

Lung cancer formation: Small cell lung cancer

This is the most destructive form of lung cancer. It begins from the lungs’ large, central bronchi. It affects mostly the smokers and spreads rapidly to other parts of the body like the liver, brain and bones even before showing symptoms. Secondhand tobacco smoke is also a cause. People who live with someone who smokes are 20% to 30% more likely to get lung cancer than those who live in a smoke-free home.

Finally, some other chemicals are risky too. Like for instance, people who work with asbestos or are exposed to uranium dust or the radioactive gas radon are more likely to get lung cancer, especially if they are smoking cigarette. Lung tissue that was scarred by a disease or infection like tuberculosis or scleroderma, becomes at risk for tumors in that tissue. Hypothetically, some researchers think that diet may also influence your risk. But that’s not clear yet.

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