The effects of lung cancer on the patient's body can differ according to the type and stage of the disease. However, studies are now focused towards the impact of treatments intended to cure the disease in patients.
Although these have been recognized as temporary effects only, it still does produce enough good to the health of the patients.
What Are The Effects of Lung Cancer Treatments?
Since the treatment for the disease is essential to keep the cancer cells under control, several patients have overlooked the possible harm it can bring to their health. These are some of the more common treatment options for lung cancer.
1) Surgical Treatment
Effects of lung cancer treatment such as surgeries can often bring in more harm to the patient. Since it is a major operation, it exposes your chest area into the possibility of collecting air and fluid into it. Among the side effects known for lung cancer patients who have recently undergone surgery is difficulty in turning over, deep breathing, or even coughing. Since patients typically go through these activities, recovery might be slow. Activities such as deep breathing or coughing are essential elements in recovery since they enable extra air or fluid out of your lung area. Among the most common conditions cited shortly after undergoing lung cancer surgery include pain in your chest area or arms, and shortness of breath. It might need a week or two before a patient can find relief from such side effects.
2) Chemotherapy
When it comes to the side effects produced by this type of treatment for lung cancer, it varies according to the type and amount of drugs given the patient. The hazard comes in since chemotherapy does not solely target cancer cells, but also affect normal cells as well. Below are common side effects experienced by patients treated with chemotherapy:
• vomiting/nausea
• feeling of fatigue
• presence of mouth sores
• hair loss
3) Radiation Therapy
The effects of lung cancer treatments such as radiation therapy stems from the fact that, like chemotherapy, it affects your normal cells. Common side effects include the following: sore or dry throat, hard time swallowing, changes in the skin of the area of treatment, appetite loss, headaches, problems with memory retention, etc.
4) Photodynamic Therapy
This particular therapy sets its limits on the normal routine activities of a patient who has undergone this treatment. For six weeks or more proceeding the treatment, the patient's skin and eyes becomes hypersensitive to light.
Therefore, direct contact with sunlight must be avoided if possible, even indoors. Hence, protective clothing must be worn if the patient were to go outside. Other entailing conditions of photodynamic therapy include difficulty swallowing, coughing, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.
Lung Cancer and Its Causation, Diagnosis and Treatment
INTRODUCTION
Lung cancer may also be the most tragic cancer because in most cases, it might have been prevented, 87% of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. Lung cancer has long been the most common cause of cancer death in men and since 1987 it has also become the most common cause of cancer death in women. Lung cancer is the second most commonly occurring form of cancer in most western countries and although the lung cancer incidence is less common in developing countries, the rapid increase in the popularity of smoking will see the number of lung cancer sufferers in those countries quickly catch up with the western world.
Lung cancers can arise in any part of the lung, and 90%-95% of cancers of the lung are thought to arise from the epithelial, or lining cells of the larger and smaller airways (bronchi and bronchioles); for this reason, lung cancers are sometimes called bronchogenic carcinomas or bronchogenic cancers.
The most common type of lung cancers are epidermoid carcinoma, small cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma.
Most experts agree that lung cancer is attributable to inhalation of carcinogenic pollutants by a susceptible host. Two other factors also increase susceptibility: exposure to carcinogenic industrial and air pollutants (asbestos, uranium, arsenic, nickel, iron oxides, chromium, radio active dust, and coal dust.) and familial susceptibility.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Because early lung cancer usually produces no symptoms, the disease is often in an advanced stage when first diagnosed. Late stage signs are: with epidermoid and small cell carcinoma; smokers cough, hoarseness, wheezing, dyspnea, hemoptysis and chest pain. With adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma; fever, weakness, weight loss, anorexia and shoulder pain.
DIAGNOSIS
Firm diagnosis requires chest x rays, sputum cytology, CT scanning, bronchoscopy the examination of pleural fluid and biopsies. Other tests to detect metastasis include bone scans, bone marrow biopsy and CT scans of the brain and abdomen.
METASTASES
Lung cancer most often spreads to the liver, the adrenal glands, the bones, and the brain. Lung cancer that has metastasized to the bone causes bone pain, usually in the backbone (vertebrae), the thighbones, and the ribs. Lung cancer that spreads to the brain can cause difficulties with vision and weakness on one side of the body.
Lung cancer may grow into certain nerves in the neck, causing a droopy eyelid, small pupil, sunken eye, and reduced perspiration on one side of the face; together these symptoms are called Horner's syndrome (see Autonomic Nervous System Disorders: Horner's Syndrome). Lung cancer may also spread through the bloodstream to the liver, brain, adrenal glands, spinal cord, and bone.
TREATMENT
Treatment for lung cancer depends on the cancer's specific cell type, how far it has spread, and the patient's performance status. If investigations confirm lung cancer, CT scan and often positron emission tomography (PET) are used to determine whether the disease is localised and amenable to surgery or whether it has spread to the point where it cannot be cured surgically. Treatment is usually a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy can be used as a first line treatment for lung cancer or as additional treatment after surgery. Radiation therapy can be directed at your lung cancer from outside your body (external beam radiation) or it can be put inside needles, seeds or catheters and placed inside your body near the cancer (brachytherapy). Radiation therapy can be used alone or along with other lung cancer treatments. Radiation therapy can also be used to lessen side effects of lung cancer.
Treatment may not be as effective for patients with bone or liver metastases from lung cancer, excessive weight loss, ongoing cigarette use, or pre-existing medical conditions such as heart disease or emphysema. At some point, if you and your oncologist or primary care physician agree that treatment no longer is advisable, hospice care can provide comfort.
Although these have been recognized as temporary effects only, it still does produce enough good to the health of the patients.
What Are The Effects of Lung Cancer Treatments?
Since the treatment for the disease is essential to keep the cancer cells under control, several patients have overlooked the possible harm it can bring to their health. These are some of the more common treatment options for lung cancer.
1) Surgical Treatment
Effects of lung cancer treatment such as surgeries can often bring in more harm to the patient. Since it is a major operation, it exposes your chest area into the possibility of collecting air and fluid into it. Among the side effects known for lung cancer patients who have recently undergone surgery is difficulty in turning over, deep breathing, or even coughing. Since patients typically go through these activities, recovery might be slow. Activities such as deep breathing or coughing are essential elements in recovery since they enable extra air or fluid out of your lung area. Among the most common conditions cited shortly after undergoing lung cancer surgery include pain in your chest area or arms, and shortness of breath. It might need a week or two before a patient can find relief from such side effects.
2) Chemotherapy
When it comes to the side effects produced by this type of treatment for lung cancer, it varies according to the type and amount of drugs given the patient. The hazard comes in since chemotherapy does not solely target cancer cells, but also affect normal cells as well. Below are common side effects experienced by patients treated with chemotherapy:
• vomiting/nausea
• feeling of fatigue
• presence of mouth sores
• hair loss
3) Radiation Therapy
The effects of lung cancer treatments such as radiation therapy stems from the fact that, like chemotherapy, it affects your normal cells. Common side effects include the following: sore or dry throat, hard time swallowing, changes in the skin of the area of treatment, appetite loss, headaches, problems with memory retention, etc.
4) Photodynamic Therapy
This particular therapy sets its limits on the normal routine activities of a patient who has undergone this treatment. For six weeks or more proceeding the treatment, the patient's skin and eyes becomes hypersensitive to light.
Therefore, direct contact with sunlight must be avoided if possible, even indoors. Hence, protective clothing must be worn if the patient were to go outside. Other entailing conditions of photodynamic therapy include difficulty swallowing, coughing, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.
Lung Cancer and Its Causation, Diagnosis and Treatment
INTRODUCTION
Lung cancer may also be the most tragic cancer because in most cases, it might have been prevented, 87% of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. Lung cancer has long been the most common cause of cancer death in men and since 1987 it has also become the most common cause of cancer death in women. Lung cancer is the second most commonly occurring form of cancer in most western countries and although the lung cancer incidence is less common in developing countries, the rapid increase in the popularity of smoking will see the number of lung cancer sufferers in those countries quickly catch up with the western world.
Lung cancers can arise in any part of the lung, and 90%-95% of cancers of the lung are thought to arise from the epithelial, or lining cells of the larger and smaller airways (bronchi and bronchioles); for this reason, lung cancers are sometimes called bronchogenic carcinomas or bronchogenic cancers.
The most common type of lung cancers are epidermoid carcinoma, small cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma.
Most experts agree that lung cancer is attributable to inhalation of carcinogenic pollutants by a susceptible host. Two other factors also increase susceptibility: exposure to carcinogenic industrial and air pollutants (asbestos, uranium, arsenic, nickel, iron oxides, chromium, radio active dust, and coal dust.) and familial susceptibility.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Because early lung cancer usually produces no symptoms, the disease is often in an advanced stage when first diagnosed. Late stage signs are: with epidermoid and small cell carcinoma; smokers cough, hoarseness, wheezing, dyspnea, hemoptysis and chest pain. With adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma; fever, weakness, weight loss, anorexia and shoulder pain.
DIAGNOSIS
Firm diagnosis requires chest x rays, sputum cytology, CT scanning, bronchoscopy the examination of pleural fluid and biopsies. Other tests to detect metastasis include bone scans, bone marrow biopsy and CT scans of the brain and abdomen.
METASTASES
Lung cancer most often spreads to the liver, the adrenal glands, the bones, and the brain. Lung cancer that has metastasized to the bone causes bone pain, usually in the backbone (vertebrae), the thighbones, and the ribs. Lung cancer that spreads to the brain can cause difficulties with vision and weakness on one side of the body.
Lung cancer may grow into certain nerves in the neck, causing a droopy eyelid, small pupil, sunken eye, and reduced perspiration on one side of the face; together these symptoms are called Horner's syndrome (see Autonomic Nervous System Disorders: Horner's Syndrome). Lung cancer may also spread through the bloodstream to the liver, brain, adrenal glands, spinal cord, and bone.
TREATMENT
Treatment for lung cancer depends on the cancer's specific cell type, how far it has spread, and the patient's performance status. If investigations confirm lung cancer, CT scan and often positron emission tomography (PET) are used to determine whether the disease is localised and amenable to surgery or whether it has spread to the point where it cannot be cured surgically. Treatment is usually a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy can be used as a first line treatment for lung cancer or as additional treatment after surgery. Radiation therapy can be directed at your lung cancer from outside your body (external beam radiation) or it can be put inside needles, seeds or catheters and placed inside your body near the cancer (brachytherapy). Radiation therapy can be used alone or along with other lung cancer treatments. Radiation therapy can also be used to lessen side effects of lung cancer.
Treatment may not be as effective for patients with bone or liver metastases from lung cancer, excessive weight loss, ongoing cigarette use, or pre-existing medical conditions such as heart disease or emphysema. At some point, if you and your oncologist or primary care physician agree that treatment no longer is advisable, hospice care can provide comfort.
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