Protect Your Children from Lung Cancer

In 2004 the UK alone had 153,397 deaths caused by cancer alone. Every year around 38,000 cases of lung cancer are diagnosed in the UK alone.The total population in the UK around that time was estimated at 60.2 million people. A closer look will reveal the true extent of the disease that is slowly being tackled by research. Cancer cases are increasing by 1% per year. Cancer mainly effects people in later life, but is also seen to develop in children and adolescents. More than 75% of deaths from cancer occur in the elderly from the age of 65 and above. With such a high rate of deaths occurring in the elderly, cancer is responsible for 1 in 4 or 25% of all deaths across all age groups throughout the world. This figure is highest in adults under 65 years old, where 1 in every 3, or 33%, of all deaths are caused by cancer.
There are more than 200 different types of cancer but only four of these types were responsible for 48% of all cancer related deaths. Lung cancer was the single biggest type of cancer diagnosed which accounts for 22% of all cancer deaths in 2004. Bowel, breast and prostate cancer were responsible for between 11% and 8% of other cancer deaths. Why is the rate of lung cancer sufferers so high? Simply because of the number of people who smoke cigarettes. Around 80% of all lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking.
Cutting down on smoking or stopping all together would greatly reduce the number of cancer deaths. World-wide, over 1.3 million cases of lung cancer are diagnosed each year. Prolonged smoking is responsible for the greatest number of lung related cancer deaths, with it striking most commonly among those aged 65 years and over. It is very seldom diagnosed in those under 40. Scotland has the highest rate of lung cancer sufferers in the UK. Scotland has a history of high smoking and Scottish men and women have among the highest rates of cancer in the world. Why are the rates so high in Scotland? Exposure to industrial carcinogens and poor diet are believed to contribute to the high rate of sufferers. Asbestos exposure is responsible for around 6% of male lung cancer cases diagnosed. If we look at the whole world, the highest rates of lung cancer in the world are found to be in men in eastern Europe as well as men in North America. The pattern is similar for women with the highest number of sufferers occurring in Denmark, Hungary and Iceland.
In the US, incidences of lung cancer are higher in the black population for men and women while contrastingly, Hispanics and Asians have lower number of cases than the white population.
Children are not immune to smoking with nearly 1 in 4 smoking by the age of 15. How life-time smoking habits are developed occurs in adolescent years, and by 19 they are firmly addicted to smoking. There is evidence that points to the fact that how early on in life someone begins smoking has more of an impact on the likelihood of them going on to develop lung cancer. So the young the habit is formed, the greater the risk of lung cancer. This factor is more prominent than the quantity or length a person smokes from then on after developing the habit or becoming addicted to nicotine.
Some factors that cause children to smoke are having a parent that is a smoker or siblings or friends. Being exposed to cigarette advertising is also a factor that leads children to smoke. Passive smoking by someone, also puts them at risk of developing lung cancer. It can also lead to respiratory disease in children. Children growing up with parents that smoke are also at risk of asthma, middle-ear infections and cot deaths.
The level of risk in the UK becomes more alarming when you take into account the fact that one in every three children grow up in a household with at least one parent that smokes. Smokers that consume up to 14 cigarettes a day are eight times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers. Alarmingly, smokers consuming 25 or more a day are 25 times more likely to develop lung cancer.
For the sake of your children, if not for your health, give up smoking and you will have more appreciation for life in your later years, with improved personal health and children free from the risk of respiratory diseases that may bring to an early end a wonderful life. If not for yourself, for the sake of your children.

Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small Cell Lung Cancer is second only to breast cancer in terms of deaths. There are about 175,000 reported cases of Small Cell Lung Cancer in the U.S. each year. Of these, about 160,000 will result in the death of the patient. Small Cell Lung Cancer is so deadly because it is hard to catch in time. Small Cell Lung Cancer develops in cells that are actually so small that they do not show up on normal x-rays. By the time they are found the cancer is usually already into an advanced state.
The leading cause of Small Cell Lung Cancer is smoking. Smokers run a much higher chance of contracting Small Cell Lung Cancer as compared to non-smokers. Anyone who is a smoker should see a doctor for regular examinations.
The best chance someone has if they contract Small Cell Lung Cancer is catching it early. Those who catch the cancer in the first stage of development have up to a 40% chance of survival with the correct treatment.
There are two forms of lung cancer, Small Cell Lung Cancer and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer is the least dangerous of the two. About 50% of the lung cancer cases reported are Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. These are treatable. Patients often see a full recovery. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer has 5 stages of development. The recovery percentages decrease the more advanced it becomes.
Small Cell Lung Cancer only has two stages: mild and severe. When it reaches the severe state it spreads very rapidly throughout the body. This is why it is much tougher to fight. By the time Small Cell Lung Cancer is detected it is usually in the severe stage. At this point most patients only have 18-20 months to live.

Zero Nicotine Can Be Achieved

Imagine yourself in the future, say six months time from now. How good is it going to be when someone offers you a cigarette and you find yourself saying 'no thanks'? Well,to break free from smoking, you need to break free from nicotine."Just like that" i hear you say!I wouldn't insult your intelligence by saying it is easy.....in fact it is a well-known that withdrawal from nicotine is very unpleasant. In fact, it is the single thing that causes even the most committed quitters to go back to smoking. However consider the benefits of quitting smoking,after all aren’t you tired of being a slave to cigarettes? Below is a list of health benefits you can receive from quitting smoking for good:
Stroke risk is reduced to the level of a person who never smoked after 5 to 15 years of not smoking. Cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus risks are halved 5 years after quitting. Cancer of the larynx risk is reduced after quitting. Coronary heart disease risk is cut by half 1 year after quitting and is nearly the same as someone who never smoked 15 years after quitting. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk of death is reduced after you quit. Lung cancer risk drops by as much as half 10 years after quitting. Ulcer risk drops after quitting. Bladder cancer risk is halved a few years after quitting. Peripheral artery disease goes down after quitting. Cervical cancer risk is reduced a few years after quitting. Low birth weight baby risk drops to normal if you quit before pregnancy. Clearly the list is endless so why not make it your mission to become tobacco-free, pure and simple.

Zero Nicotine Can Be Achieved

Imagine yourself in the future, say six months time from now. How good is it going to be when someone offers you a cigarette and you find yourself saying 'no thanks'? Well,to break free from smoking, you need to break free from nicotine."Just like that" i hear you say!I wouldn't insult your intelligence by saying it is easy.....in fact it is a well-known that withdrawal from nicotine is very unpleasant. In fact, it is the single thing that causes even the most committed quitters to go back to smoking. However consider the benefits of quitting smoking,after all aren’t you tired of being a slave to cigarettes? Below is a list of health benefits you can receive from quitting smoking for good:
Stroke risk is reduced to the level of a person who never smoked after 5 to 15 years of not smoking. Cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus risks are halved 5 years after quitting. Cancer of the larynx risk is reduced after quitting. Coronary heart disease risk is cut by half 1 year after quitting and is nearly the same as someone who never smoked 15 years after quitting. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk of death is reduced after you quit. Lung cancer risk drops by as much as half 10 years after quitting. Ulcer risk drops after quitting. Bladder cancer risk is halved a few years after quitting. Peripheral artery disease goes down after quitting. Cervical cancer risk is reduced a few years after quitting. Low birth weight baby risk drops to normal if you quit before pregnancy. Clearly the list is endless so why not make it your mission to become tobacco-free, pure and simple.

An Alternative Look for Quitting Smoking

Smokers are 5 times more likely to suffer from a heart attack in their 30’s and 40’s than non-smokers. Smoking related illness kill 40% of smokers before they reach retirement. Quitting smoking is the most powerful health measure a smoker can take. Risk is directly associated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day.
The toxins in tobacco find their way into the bloodstream, which intern affects every organ and tissue in the body. It damages the blood corpuscles, the nervous system and causes poor circulation.
Smoking puts extra strain on the body and puts it in a weakened state which can lead to serious illnesses such as lung cancer, emphysema, bronchitis, oesophagus cancer, bladder cancer, heart disease and ulcers. Smoking can make symptoms of other conditions such as arthritis, the menopause, osteoporosis and male impotence worst.
By quitting smoking, within weeks you will regain your sense of smell and taste, the lungs will improve causing less shortness of breath and wheezing, within two years the risk of an heart attack has halved, within three years the risk of a heart attack has regain to that of a non-smoker and within ten years the risk of lung cancer has halved.
Try quitting smoking by using methods such as nicotine replacement therapy, hypnosis, exercising, using artificial cigarettes and eating wild oats which will help to reduce cravings.
The following supplements may help if you are quitting smoking.
Antioxidants
Copper
Kava kava
Magnesium
Multivitamin and minerals
Selenium
St John’s wort
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Zinc

An Overview of Lung Cancer

General Information on Lung Cancer
Lung cancer, or carcinoma of the lung, is one of the most common forms of cancer today. It is one of the most frequent causes of cancer-related mortality in the United States today. In the United States, another form of cancer that is becoming increasingly common is breast cancer, which is the development of malignant tissue in the breast. Breast cancer is seen mostly in women, though this does not mean that men are immune to it. A small percentage of men too contract breast cancer. The numbers are small, 1 man with breast cancer against a 100 women with it, but its there. However, there is one major difference between breast cancer and lung cancer. One can see the symptoms of breast cancer at an early stage, while in the case of lung cancer, the symptoms are not detected early, primarily because they match the symptoms of other lesser ailments. In this article, we will discuss lung cancer.
A person is said to suffer from lung cancer when a growth of malignant cancer cells is detected in the lungs. Depending on the stage at which lung cancer is detected, it can be classified as being in the:
• Early stages • Mid-stages• Advanced stages
Today, there is a vast amount of information on lung cancer available. Patients or relatives of patients can access information over the Internet, which has an almost limitless number of websites dedicated to different aspects of lung cancer – types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, etc. For example, if you are from the United Kingdom and want to research information on lung cancer treatment, facilities, etc in your country, you can simply log onto the website of Cancer Research UK, UK’s leading cancer charity, and collect whatever information you want from their site.
Earlier on, treatment of lung cancer was not an easy thing to do, owing to the huge amount of expenses in the form of medical bills, hospital stays fees, etc. However, nowadays with the availability of insurance, things have become easier. Lung cancer insurance is available easily, as is insurance covering other forms of cancer.
Types of Lung Cancer
Two main types of lung cancer exist today. Both of these are seen in the epithelial cells of the lungs. They are:
• Small cell lung cancer (SLCC)• Non-small cell lung cancer
There is another type, called mixed small cell/large cell lung cancer. In this type you can find both kinds of cells in the cancerous tissue.
Besides these two types, there is another form of cancer of the lung area, called mesothelioma or mesothelioma cancer or cancer of the mesothelium. However, this is not considered a primary form of lung cancer, as its target area is not the lobes of the lung, but the pleural membrane covering the lung.
Small Cell Lung CancerThis is the rarer of the two basic forms of lung cancer. One out of every five lung cancer patients suffer from small cell lung cancer.
Non-Small Cell Lung CancerNon-small cell lung cancer, or non-small lung cancer, is the more common of the two basic forms of lung cancer. Four out of five lung cancer patients suffer from this type of cancer.
Based on the cell type/area in which the carcinogenic cells proliferate in the lungs, non-small cell lung cancer is further categorized into three types. They are:
• Squamous cell carcinoma• Adenocarcinoma• Large Cell Carcinoma• Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma (BAC)
Squamous Cell CarcinomaThis is the most common type of lung cancer. It occurs in the cells lining the airways inside the lungs. This form of cancer occurs mostly due to nicotine ingestion through smoking.
AdenocarcinomaThis form of cancer is seen in the mucus cells within the airways in the lung.
Large Cell CarcinomaThis is also called undifferentiated lung cancer. In large cell carcinoma, the proliferating cells are round and much larger than the cells seen in adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.
Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma (BAC)This form of cancer is seen in the bronchioalveolar region of the lung.
What Causes Lung Cancer?
The main cause of lung cancer is exposure to tobacco. This is primarily through smoking. About 80% of lung cancer patients are smokers. Smokers may be cigarette smokers, cigar smokers, or pipe smokers; it doesn’t matter. The risk of contracting lung cancer is equal in all the three cases.
A person may inhale smoke directly. A person can also inhale smoke passively or involuntarily. This smoke is also called secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is of two types:
• Mainstream – This is the smoke exhaled by the smoker, and amounts to more than 50% of all secondhand smoke.• Sidestream – This is the smoke emanating from the burning end of a cigarette/cigar/pipe/hookah.
Passive smokers too stand a high chance of contracting lung cancer. The chances of passive/secondary smokers contracting lung cancer is 30% higher than people who do not inhale smoke either actively or passively.
However, there have been instances of even total non-smokers suffering from lung cancer. This indicates that smoking is not the only cause for lung cancer. It is the primary cause, yes, but not definitely the only cause. The following are some of the other causes of lung cancer:
• Air pollution• Inhalation of asbestos fibers• Exposure to radon, a radioactive substance formed by breaking down uranium• Inhalation of marijuana fumes by smoking• Exposure of the chest area to radiation therapy during cancer treatment• Hereditary reasons• Presence of arsenic in drinking water• Diet with low fruit and vegetable content (this increases the risk of lung cancer in smokers)
A combination of exposure to tobacco along with any of these causes greatly increases the chances of a person contracting lung cancer.
Lung Cancer Symptoms
The following are some of the common symptoms of lung cancer. They do not usually manifest in the early stages. Even if they do, they are usually mistaken for some other ailment. These symptoms are:
• Persistent coughing• Reddish or muddy brown spit• Loss of breath• Loss of appetite• Persistent or repetitive infections of the bronchial tract • Hoarseness of voice• Renewed wheezing
In its later advanced stages, when the lung cancer is said to be in metastasis, the symptoms are:
• Numbness in the arms or legs• A jaundiced appearance• Tumorous growths near the skin surface• Seizures• Bone pain• Dizziness
Lung Cancer Detection and Diagnosis
It is very rare to be able to detect lung cancer in its early stages. There are no specific symptoms of early stages of lung cancer. This is one of the reasons why lung cancer is usually detected in its later stages.
The use of a proper screening technique would greatly increase the chances of early lung cancer detection. However, there is no such proper and totally effective screening technique yet. Research is on to see if one can be formulated soon. As of now, a new technique called spiral CT seems to be the best option for early detection.
Once lung cancer is detected, the next step is to determine the stage it is in. This is done using the AJCC system. Roman numerals are used to mark the different stages of lung cancer, numerals from 0 to IV. Sometimes the stages are further divided into substages, using denotations A and B. The general rule of thumb is that the lower the denomination, the less serious the condition.
Lung Cancer Treatment
Lung cancer treatment options are usually the same as prostate cancer treatment options or colon cancer treatment options. What I mean is that all forms of cancer have the same treatment options. However, lung cancer tests may be different from colon cancer tests. The standard treatment options for lung cancer are:
• Surgery• Radiation Therapy• Chemotherapy
What matters is the combination of methods being used. The more serious the cancer, the more chances that different treatment options will be used in tandem, or one after the other.