Research continues to show that the most common cause for lung cancer is the use of tobacco. Lung cancer typically develops over a long period of time. The first pre-cancerous changes that form in the lungs mutate and produce chemicals that result in the formation of new blood vessels. These blood vessels nurture the cancer cells. The cancer cells grow together and form a tumor. These cancer cells have the ability to easily spread to other parts of our body even before the cancer is detected. This process is known as metastasis and is one of the main reasons why lung cancer is so fast moving and life-threatening.
Lung cancers are classified as small-cell lung cancers and non-small-cell lung cancers. Non-small-cell lung cancer is further divided into three types, known as squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. In the United States alone, about 213,380 people are estimated to be suffering from lung cancer, with nearly 160,390 deaths occurring in the year 2007. Current data shows that lung cancer accounts for 29% of all cancer deaths. About one-third of cancer and 80% of lung cancer are caused by the usage of tobacco, either directly or indirectly.
Lung cancer prevention methods are very important because of the difficulty to detect lung cancer until it is in an advanced stage, when treatments are really not effective. A few simple steps have the potential to prevent the incidence of lung cancer. Smoking and the use of tobacco products should be completely avoided or stopped. Data reveals that long-term cessation of smoking reduces the incidence of lung cancer by over 50%. Exposure to radon gas and other carcinogens like petroleum products should be avoided.
A healthy diet consisting of more vegetables and fruits is highly recommended. Nowadays, many governments have initiated active anti-smoking programs and advertising campaigns because of the strain on the health care system that tobacco products add to it. Many of them also impose high taxes on tobacco products to discourage tobacco users. Several nations have enacted strict laws towards smoking in public places including workplaces and for restricting tobacco access to minors. Studies reveal that smoking bans in workplaces effectively reduce the exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) by 72%. Mass media anti-tobacco campaigns reduce the initiation of new persons to tobacco, decrease tobacco consumption, and increase cessation of tobacco. A sustained multi-pronged approach alone could create mass awareness about lung cancer prevention. When more and more people realize the harm caused by tobacco, consumption would decline and the effects on lung cancer cases would be immense as well as other health concerns like heart disease, stroke and hypertension.
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Studies show that there is an increase of lung cancer instances among workers exposed to asbestos. In lieu to this, asbestos lung cancer has become one of the most dreaded types of lung cancer. The causes of lung cancer vary. Aside from exposure to asbestos, smoking and air pollution can trigger the onset of the disease. Therefore, avoiding these possible cancer-causing agents is essential for healthy lungs.
If you are in the construction business or employed by an industry that uses products containing asbestos, you may wonder "Are asbestos fibers visible to the eye"? Generally asbestos fibers are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Asbestos becomes dangerous when it has broken down into small fibers and is inhaled. It is nearly impossible to detect the presence of asbestos without taking the material to a lab for testing. A lab technician will put the material under a microscope to search for asbestos fibers. Asbestos does not cause an immediate reaction. It will not cause you to cough, sneeze, or your eyes to water. You cannot see, smell, or taste asbestos.
Cigarette smoking is probably the most closely related link to developing lung cancer. A person who smokes two packs or more of cigarettes per day has a one in seven chance of developing lung cancer. Those that smoke one pack of cigarettes per day have a twenty-five times greater chance of developing lung cancer than a non-smoker. In addition, those people that smoke a pipe or cigar have a five times greater chance of developing lung cancer than a non-smoker.
Asbestos is a problem in homes that a lot of people have heard about, but few understand. It is a mineral fiber capable of standing up to intense temperatures, added to a variety of products before people realized it was dangerous. It is now considered toxic waste, but previously was used in a some building equipment due to its low cost and heat resistance. In the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency instituted a decade-long phase out of its use, but many older homes still contain the material. Asbestos is now considered a liability, and is sometimes the determining factor in whether a buyer will purchase a home or whether a mortgage company will provide a loan. If you suspect asbestos
It would almost seem like a given in this day and age that people would know and understand that smoking greatly increases the risk of lung cancer. Secondhand smoke has even been linked with increased lung cancer risks. Even were a person to never smoke a cigarette or be subjected to secondhand smoke, the possibility of lung cancer remains very real. But smoking cigarettes is nothing short of adding more bullets to a gun being used to play Russian Roulette-eventually, the odds of getting lung cancer will become impossible to ignore.
Covering our internal organs, the mesothelium is a protective tissue that lubricates and protects our internal organs thus allowing our lungs to breathe and our heart to contract or expand without any discomfort for us.This fine tissue, the mesothelium enables breathing and heart beating therefore being essential to our survival.
Among the various type of cancer deaths, lung cancer is responsible for 29 percent of that. Hence, you can begin protecting yourself now by arming yourself with the general facts on lung cancer before it's too late.
