Home|Blog | Lung Cancer Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention

Lung cancer is a disease in which cancer cells grow in the lungs. The most common type of lung cancer are:

Causes

Cancer occurs when cells in the body divide without control or order. If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue forms. This growth is called a tumor. Cancer growths can invade nearby tissue. It can then spread to other parts of the body. Regular damage increases the turnover of cells.

The following are known to damage to the lungs, and cause lung cancer:

Risk Factors

Things that may increase your chances of lung cancer are:

A lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT scan for those at high risk is recommended. High risk includes being 50 to 80 years old, history of heavy smoking, and being a current smoker or quit within last 15 years.

Symptoms

Symptoms and signs may include:

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about symptoms and past health. A physical exam will be done. The doctor will also ask about:

Tests may include:

Images of the lungs and chest may be taken with:

The doctor will use results from all tests to determine the stage of cancer. Staging is used to guide your treatment plan. Lung cancer is staged from 1 to 4. Stage 1 cancer is contained in a small area. Stage 4 caner is one that has spread to other parts of the body.

Lung cancer screening may help to find lung cancer at early stages in those at high risk.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to remove as much cancer as possible and control the symptoms.

Surgery is done to remove the tumor and nearby tissue. Lymph nodes may also need to be removed. The type of surgery depends on the stage and area. Common choices include:

Prevention

To help reduce your chances of lung cancer:

Griffin Health offers a Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening Program and a free smoking cessation program to help individuals prevent and manage their lung cancer risk.

For more information about the  Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening Program, visit www.griffinhealth.org/lung.

For more information about Griffin’s free smoking cessation program, That’s It! Learn to Quit!, visit www.griffinhealth.org/smoking-cessation.