Lung Tumor

Lung tumor is a disease that occurs when the cells in the lungs begin to grow in an uncontrolled manner and form tumors. These tumors are basically lumps of tissue consisting of abnormal cells. If timely treatment is not given to lung tumor, it can spread to other parts of the body, giving rise to secondary tumors. This uncontrolled growth is often termed as metastasis. As a result, the lungs stop functioning properly. As the cancer cells increase in number, they travel to other parts of the body and cause further damage.

Causes of Lung Tumor
According to a report, around 40,000 people in England die due to lung tumor, every year. Cigarette smoking is the main cause of lung tumor. It doesn't mean that non-smokers will not suffer from this disease, but the probability is very less as compared to smokers. Rising pollution levels in urban areas also contribute to lung tumor. Viral infection and exposure to ionizing radiation are some of the other causes of this disease.

Types of Lung Tumor
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC): It quickly spreads to different parts of the body, hampering one's routine life.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): This form of lung tumor grows slowly and is difficult to detect in its initial stages of development

Symptoms of Lung Tumor
In its early stages, lung tumor does not show any symptoms. However, its signs are apparent during the advanced stages of this ailment. Coughing up blood is one of the major symptoms of this disease and it can have an adverse effect on one's daily life. Here is a list of some of the other symptoms.

• The tumor grows and damages the lungs. As a result, normal breathing becomes a daunting task.
• Cough that does not improve. In fact, it worsens with the passage of time.
• Persistant chest pain
• Frequent respiratory or chest infections
• Excessive fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss.

Medical Treatment for Lung Tumor
Your doctor will decide the type of treatment, considering the tumor stage and whether it is NSCLC or SCLC. Your overall health will also be taken into account. Surgery is a good option for treating lung tumor. Its success depends entirely on the amount of damage caused by the disease. If the primary tumor has been detected early and hasn't spread to vital organs like the liver, the tumor can definitely be removed surgically. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the other popular therapies used for curing lung tumor.

Chemotherapy is effective for patients suffering from SCLC. The therapy involves intake of certain drugs to destroy cancer cells. The medication is either taken orally or is injected into a vein of your arm. Chemotherapy, if administered properly, can give considerable relief and also increase one's chances of survival.

For NSCLC patients, doctors often recommend radiotherapy. It uses X-rays and other forms of radiation in order to kill the abnormal cells. Even if the therapy does not fully cure the patients, a remarkable improvement in their health is seen. Radiotherapy is administered alone or is given along with chemotherapy.

Lung tumor can be cured if appropriate treatment is taken at the right time. It can be prevented by refraining from unhealthy habits like smoking cancer sticks and adopting a healthy lifestyle. After all, prevention is better than cure, isn't it?