Lung cancer can, sadly, affect any of us. What type is diagnosed matters because not all lung cancers are treated the same. Lung cancer is divided into two types: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). SCLC is closely related to smoking, is aggressive, and has a low five-year survival rate. Tt makes up less than 20% of lung cancers. NSCLC is the name that refers to adenocarcinoma (more common in non-smokers), squamous cell carcinoma (slow growing and related to smoking), large cell carcinoma (fast growing; may develop anywhere in the lungs), and some more rare subtypes of cancer.
Some risk factors for lung cancer are modifiable, while others are not. There is a strong correlation between lung cancer and tobacco smoke, either first or second hand. Air pollution, radon, and asbestos exposure likewise correlate with an increased risk for lung cancer. Family history of lung cancer and personal exposure to radiation therapy to lungs are considered non-modifiable risk factors.
Worth noting: asbestos is particularly pernicious when it comes to your lungs. It can cause a variety of lung diseases, including lung cancer (especially in tobacco smokers who work with asbestos), and can cause mesothelioma, cancer of the outer lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen. Mesotheliomia is considered a fatal diagnosis.
Treatment decisions for lung cancer are dependent on the type and subtype of cancer, and its staging on discovery. If caught early enough, chemotherapy or radiation may be available, though often surgical removal of the tumor is the first step for early stage NSCLC. Later stage diagnosis of NSCLC again depends on patient health and location of the tumors, but are often treated with chemotherapy, radiation, and/or immunotherapy. Some tumors may be surgically removed in late stage otherwise healthy patients to prolong their life.
As you may have read before, the way to improve chances of a better outcome for most lung cancer is to catch it early. And often that is dependent on spotting abnormalities on an X-ray or CT scan.
