Lung Cancer Treatment and Side Effects

Cancer is a condition in which a certain category of cells in the body get divided in an uncontrolled and an inappropriate manner. Different kinds of treatments have to be used in different situations, according to the diagnosis, severity or stage of cancer.

Cell division, or mitosis, is a natural process that produces two daughter cells from one mother cell. These new cells replace the cells that die out naturally. Normally, cell division occurs only when conditions for the growth of new cells are favorable and the body sends a signal to that effect. Also, this process is started only when replication, i.e. copying of genetic material from the mother cell to the daughter cells is complete.

In cancer, the cells grow without the signal and without replication. This produces a mass of cells, called a tumor, which are different from the mother cells and which do not function normally. However, tumors are not formed in case of blood cancer. Furthermore, the daughter cells of the cancer cells are more abnormal than the parent cells. This results in the formation of progressively more abnormal cells which affect the normal working of the organ. Cancer cells can affect the surrounding cells, thus producing abnormalities in them. Inside the body, cancer cells can spread to other locations through the blood and lymph systems.

Lung Cancer: Basic Facts, Causes and Symptoms

In lung cancer, the lung cells exhibit abnormal and uncontrolled growth. Lung cancer starts from abnormalities of epithelial cells, i.e. cells that line up the cavities or surface of structures inside the body. Among all the varieties of cancer, lung cancer causes the most number of deaths among men and the second largest among women (the first being breast cancer). Every year, lung cancer kills about a million people.

The single most potent cause for this disorder is smoking, active and passive. Other causes are exposure to radon gas and asbestos, and certain viruses. The malignant growth can occur in the airway, leading to breathing difficulties, shortness of breath, fatigue, coughing, roughening of voice and difficulty in swallowing. Lung cancer cells have a rich blood supply. When the surface of such cells is weak they bleed in the airway leading to coughing of blood. Other symptoms include loss of appetite, weight loss and chest pain. Performing a chest radiograph is the most common diagnostic tool for lung cancer. This helps in revealing malignant growth. If this tool fails in a person reporting obvious symptoms, bronchoscopy or a CT (Computed Tomography) scan can be employed. If the disease is discovered at an early stage, it can be treated with greater success.

Lung Cancer: Types and Treatments

Lung cancer can be of two types: Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) is more common, but spreads slowly to other parts of the body as compared to Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC), which is not very common but spreads aggressively to other parts of the body. The treatment depends upon the type of lung cancer, stage of the disease and the health and fitness of the patient. Surgery involves removal of the tumor and can be used only when the malignant growth is relatively localized and if the patient is fit enough to undergo surgery. The tumor can also be destroyed by focusing x-rays on it. This procedure is called radiation and it affects the genetic material, i.e. DNA of the tumor cells halting their rapid division and growth. However, radiation can also affect the normal cells that it encounters during treatment. Radiation is used in patients who cannot undergo surgery due to medical complications. In chemotherapy, anti-tumor drugs are administered either through an injection into a vein or by placing a catheter inside a large vein. Chemotherapy is used for all stages of the disorder and can increase the effectiveness of radiation treatment by weakening cancer cells.

For NSCLC that is localized, surgery is generally used. Chemotherapy, with or without radiation, and radiation alone is used for treating SCLC. However, a combination of therapies is most effective and is the rule when the cancer has spread to areas near the lung. Radiation is used for decreasing the tumor size before surgery and eliminating remnant abnormal cells after surgery. It can also be used to treat lung cancer that has spread to the brain. Residual tumor cells can also be eliminated by chemotherapy. Recent research suggests that a combination of chemotherapy and radiation is more effective than radiation alone. When the disease has become incurable, medication, chemotherapy and radiation are used to treat the symptoms without eliminating the tumor.

Lung Cancer: Side Effects

Chemotherapy can weaken the white blood cells, which are required to protect the body from infections. It can also lead to acute nausea and vomiting, in some cases. This results in poor quality of life plagued by continuous discomfort. In recent times, new techniques are being developed to reduce the severity of such side effects. Radiation can have more side effects. As has been already mentioned, it can affect the normal cells that it encounters en route the tumor. The esophagus is the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach and is sensitive to radiation. It gets inflamed due to radiation and patients experience difficulty in swallowing. Although, the inflammation disappears in two or three weeks, it can result in weight loss. Radiation pneumonitis is another side effect in which inflammation inside lungs causes shortness of breath, coughing and fever. This typically occurs nine months after radiotherapy and disappears in about four weeks without causing any permanent damage. Other side effects include fatigue, temporary loss of appetite, hair loss around the chest area and skin irritation. All these are of short duration and doctors use short doses of radiation to minimize them.

Prevention is always better than cure. The single largest cause for lung cancer is smoking. And as we all know, God helps those who help themselves - people can help themselves by not smoking.