Cancer may occur in any part of your body even in the internal organs. Lung cancer is the cancerous growth or tumor on the lungs. The tumors are of two types namely malignant and benign. Benign tumors are not harmful and can easily be removed since it will not spread to other parts. But malignant tumors are potentially dangerous since they attack the neighboring cells and tissues.
Lung cancer is dangerous since it is one of the most difficult forms of cancer. Lungs are vital parts of our body needed for respiration and any tumor like growth inside can lead to problems in liver and brain. Lung cancer has every possibility to spread to brain, adrenal glands and liver causing death. Two types of lung cancer are small celled lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Non small type of cancer develops in almost 85% of lung cancer people. Metastatic lung cancer is the one which starts in any part of the body and subsequently spread to lungs.
Lung Cancer Causes
- Lung cancer is surely deadliest of all other types of cancer and each year thousands of people die of lung cancer. Very often it develops on adults who are above 50 years.
- The main cause for lung cancer is smoking. Smoking tobacco in any form can cause lung cancer. But there are thousands of people with lung cancer who have not even smoked once in life.
- Working in asbestos prone environment and exposure to strong chemicals like beryllium, gasoline, nickel chromates and chloro-methyl ether certainly will increase the risk of lung cancer.
- People who have COPD ( Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ) have increased chance of getting lung cancer.
- People who are subjected to high level of air pollution, who drink water that has high arsenic content are at risk of developing lung cancer.
Lung Cancer Symptoms
Lung cancer will not produce symptoms initially. Some people may get chest pain, persistent cough, and blood with cough. Loss of appetite, loss of weight, wheezing and breathing problems are common later. During advance stages there may be joint pain, facial paralysis, eyelid drooping, bone pain, shoulder and nail problems.