Lung Cancer

	Cancer is a disease marked by uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells.  The abnormal cells may no longer do the work of normal cells and in turn crowd out and destroy the healthy tissue.  Most of the victims of cancer die from lung cancer.  Many of these cases could have been avoided because it most often occurs in people over the age of 50 with a history of smoking.
	There are different types of lung cancer involving different parts of the lungs.  They have different symptoms and are all treated differently.  If the cancer is located in one of the bronchi it can irritate the lining of the bronchus and cause a chronic cough.  Otherwise known as “smokers cough”.  In serious conditions of this cough some might actually cough up blood.  If the cancer spreads it may fill up the bronchus so air cannot easily pass in or out.  Repeated lung infections and pneumonia are common with this condition.  If a tumor is located in the outer part of a lung it may not produce any symptoms until it is fairly large.  Finally lung cancer may be carried through by the blood or lymph to circulate through the body and be deposited in other organs.  This occurrence is called metastasis.  Metastasis has also been known to take cancers from other parts of the body and put it into the lungs.
	The leading cause of lung cancer is smoking.  Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 different chemicals, many of which are carcinogens (may cause cancer).  The three of the most damaging toxins are nicotine, tars, and carbon monoxide.  Second-hand smoke inhaled by both smokers and nonsmokers is another important cause of lung cancer.  Smoking is responsible for 90% of lung cancer deaths among men, 79% among women.  Also smoking accounts for about 30% of all cancer deaths.  Smokers that inhale two or more packs of cigarettes a day, have a cancer mortality rate 12-25 times greater than a nonsmokers.  The risk of lung cancer falls dramatically within a couple years if smoking is stopped.
	Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.  It is a radioactive gas found in the earth’s rocks and soil, formed by the natural breakdown of radium.  Excessive exposure of radon in the home may increase the risk of lung cancer especially in smokers.  If the radon levels are found to be to high, remedial actions should be taken.  Another cause of cancer is on the job exposure to carcinogens.  The best known carcinogen is asbestos.  Others include nickel, chromate, and vinyl chloride.  Risk of lung cancer is greatly increased when combined with smoking.
	By the time symptoms occur, lung cancer is usually well advanced.  Some of the symptoms that people with lung cancer have are a chronic cough, coughing up blood, wheezing, repeated bronchitis, pneumonia, or chest pains.  If someone has any one of these symptoms for a two week period straight, they should see their doctor.  Sputum from a cough would be examined for cancer cells or one could have a chest x-ray or CAT scan done.  The final way for a doctor to check one's lungs for cancer would be to have a bronchoscopy or biopsy.  The five year survival rate for a person with lung cancer is 13%.  There has been little progress in the early detection of lung cancer.  Surgery may cure lung cancer in some people if it is caught early enough.  Radiation and chemotherapy are also used along surgery.
	In these past few years smokers are finding fewer and fewer places to smoke.  For example, in Jan. of  93 President Bill Clinton passed a law banning smoking at the White House.  Then in June Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradly signed a bill prohibiting smoking in all of LA’s 7,000 restaurants.  Many states have followed these leads and are banning smoking in public places.  If laws banning smoking continue throughout the word maybe someday we will have smoke free environment with a much reduced risk of lung cancer.
	Finally, to help prevent lung cancer in your body a smoker should quit as soon as possible, and if your already a nonsmoker you should make sure to stay in smoke-free environment.  Also, if you live in an area that is known for high levels of radon you should have your house checked.  To everyone that is fighting lung cancer, in the words of the late Jimmy Valvano, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”  He was just one of the many cancer victims that always tried his hardest.