Lung cancer: symptoms, causes and how to treat it

Definition of lung cancer

What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer is a type or type of cancer that starts in the lungs. This condition is even one of the main causes of cancer deaths worldwide.

Usually, people who smoke have a greater risk factor for developing this type of cancer, when compared to people who don't have this habit.

According to the American Cancer Society, this cancer is divided into two types which are differentiated based on the size of the cells in the cancer tumor.

1. Small cell carcinoma lung cancer (KPKSK)

This type of lung cancer is usually experienced by heavy smokers. In fact, this type of cancer is less common than other types. However, this type spreads more quickly throughout the body.

Approximately 70% of patients who develop this cancer are already at a fairly severe stage of lung cancer at the time of diagnosis.

2. Lung cancer non-small cell carcinoma (KPKBSK)

The term cancer includes several types of lung cancer. This condition means the cancer cells are bigger than KPKSK. More people also have this type of cancer.

This condition does not develop as fast as KPKSK, so the treatment for this type of cancer is different. Usually, the type of lung cancer that belongs to this type is adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma.

How common is lung cancer?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this cancer is one of the leading causes of death causing 1.59 million deaths in 2012. This number is expected to increase over the next decade.

If your doctor simply says you have this cancer, it's important to know the basics before you become overwhelmed by the emotional and physical changes you feel.

This cancer can affect patients at any age. This condition can be managed by reducing your risk factors. Please discuss with your doctor for more information.

Lung cancer signs & symptoms

Most of the symptoms of lung cancer occur in the lungs, but you may also experience other symptoms in your body. This usually occurs because the cancer has spread (in medical terms it is called metastasis) to other parts of the body.

Symptoms also differ in severity. Some may even have no symptoms or just feel tired in general. Not infrequently, in the early stages, this cancer does not show symptoms.

Here are some of the symptoms you should be aware of:

• Discomfort or pain in the chest.
• A cough that doesn't go away or gets worse over time.
• Breathing problems.
• Blood in phlegm (coughing up mucus from the lungs).
• Hoarseness.
• Swallowing problems.
• Loss of appetite.
• Lose weight for no reason.
• Feeling very tired.
• Inflammation or blockage in the lungs.
• Swelling or enlargement of lymph nodes in the chest in the lung area.

This cancer is a serious condition that can cause fatal complications. Lung cancer can cause complications, such as:

• Hard to breathe.
• Coughing up blood.
• Pain, generally occurs at an advanced stage.
• Fluid in the chest (pleural effusion).
• Cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastasis).

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When to see a doctor?

If you have any of the signs or symptoms listed above or have any questions, please consult your doctor. Everyone's body is different.

Always consult a doctor to treat your health condition. High-risk people include smokers (30 packs per year), workers who are exposed to carcinogens, and secondhand smoke.

Causes of lung cancer

The main cause of lung cancer is smoking. In fact, this habit is not only bad for active smokers, or people who do smoking activities.

However, smoking is also not good for passive smokers, that is, people who inhale cigarette smoke because the people around them are doing smoking activities.

This cancer can develop rapidly in smokers because of the toxic carcinogenic substances that come from cigarettes into the lungs, either intentionally or not. That said, this habit is responsible for nearly 70% of cases of this cancer.

Lung cancer risk factors

After understanding what causes lung cancer, you now need to understand more about the risk factors you may have. This cancer can happen to anyone.

However, there are several things that can increase the risk of this cancer, including:

• Ever smoked or were smoking.
• Passive smoker.
• Have a family member with lung cancer.
• Personal medical history.
• Radiotherapy for other conditions that can affect the chest area.
• Workplace contact with toxins such as asbestos, chromium, nickel, arsenic, soot or tar.
• Exposure to radon at home or work.
• Living in a polluted environment.
• The immune system is genetically or consequently weak human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
• Take beta carotene supplements and become heavy smokers.

Therefore, if you experience one of the various conditions that have been mentioned above, it never hurts to do early detection of lung cancer.

Lung cancer diagnosis & treatment

How do you diagnose lung cancer?

There are several ways you can do if you want to check the condition of your lungs. Among others are:

1. CT scan

Usually, doctors will advise patients who have this risk of cancer to carry out routine examinations with CT scans. Usually, this examination is done to heavy smokers aged 55 years and over, or to former smokers who have stopped for 15 years.

2. Chest X-ray

Usually from lung photographs taken using X-rays will find abnormal conditions. In fact, if you have a CT scan, it will be easier to see any lung lesions that may not be detected on an X-ray.

3. Sputum cytology (sputum cytology)

When you cough up sputum, you will do a sputum examination by looking at it under a microscope to find out any cancer cells in it.

4. Biopsy

Doctors usually will perform a biopsy in several ways. One of them is bronchoscopy, where the doctor will check for abnormal parts of the lung using a light tube that is inserted through the throat into the lungs.

There is also a mediastinoscopy, where the doctor will make an incision at the base of the neck and insert a surgical instrument to take tissue samples from the lymph nodes.

A needle biopsy is also usually an option, in which the doctor will use an X-ray to guide a needle inserted into the body into the lungs to collect cells that are suspected of being cancer cells.

The sample from the biopsy is usually taken from the lymph nodes or other parts of the body where the cancer cells have spread.

What are the treatment options for lung cancer?

There are several different treatments for lung cancer, but depending on the type of cancer and how far the cancer has spread. Here are some types of treatment you need to know.

1. Operation

If you have surgery, the doctor will remove the lymph nodes to determine if there are any signs of cancer in the glands.

Meanwhile, if this cancer has spread to other parts of the body, the doctor will recommend chemotherapy or radiotherapy before undergoing surgery.

If after undergoing surgery there is a risk that there are remaining cancer cells, or the cancer may reappear, the doctor will recommend chemotherapy or radiotherapy after surgery.

2. Radiotherapy

For patients who have experienced a fairly severe stage of cancer, radiation therapy will be carried out before or after surgery. Usually, this radiation therapy is combined with other treatments, such as chemotherapy.

3. Chemotherapy

One of these cancer treatment options is usually using drugs to kill cancer cells. The drugs used are usually a combination of oral drugs or oral drugs, or drugs that are given by injection through a vein.

4. Targeted therapy

Usually treatment using this targeted therapy method is given to patients who experience cancer again after recovering from this cancer, or patients whose cancer stages are already at a fairly severe stage.

5. Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses the immune system in the body to fight cancer.

This cancer treatment is usually given to cancer patients that have spread to other parts of the body or can be said to have had cancer at a quite severe stage.

Apart from undergoing one of the various types of cancer treatments that have been mentioned, you can also adopt a healthy lifestyle as a lung cancer patient. In addition, there are things you can do to treat lung cancer naturally.

Home remedies for lung cancer

Usually, this cancer patient will have a little difficulty with breathing. Therefore, some things that can be done to help relieve the symptoms of this cancer naturally are the following.

1. Quit smoking

The first thing you should do after getting a diagnosis of this disease is to stop smoking. If you are experiencing cancer caused by passive smoking, do not hesitate to loudly ask people around you to stop smoking.

2. Manage pain

Managing pain is the most important part of overcoming this cancer. You may be given medication to treat the pain. When using drugs, you need to use them as soon as possible when pain occurs.

In addition, you can ask your doctor to help treat cancer and provide tips for independent pain control. Remember, you can control the pain you are experiencing until it goes away.

Other pain treatments that can help:

• Relaxation techniques.
• Biofeedback.
• Physical therapy.
• Warm and / or cold compress.
• Exercise and massage.

In addition, support from family, friends, and support group It can help you mentally to deal with pain after cancer treatment.

3. Overcoming shortness of breath

Shortness of breath is also one of the conditions that may be experienced when experiencing this cancer. The reason is, those of you who usually use your lungs to breathe may find it difficult to breathe when there is a problem with these organs.

Therefore, you need to pay attention to several methods that you can use to manage shortness of breath, such as:

• Trying to relax

You may panic when you suddenly feel short of breath. However, stay calm when this happens, because fear and worry can actually make it even more difficult for you to breathe.

During this time, try doing something that you think will make your body calmer, such as listening to certain music, meditating, or praying.

• Get into a comfortable position

When you experience shortness of breath, try to find a comfortable position to make it easier to breathe.

• Focus on breathing

Focus on your respiratory system if you suddenly experience shortness of breath. There is no need to try to "fill" the lungs with air, but concentrate on moving the muscles that control the diaphragm.

Try to keep breathing through your mouth, and "find" the missing breath with light body movements.

• Save energy

Usually, these cancer patients will experience shortness of breath more easily because they feel tired easily. Therefore, to prevent this condition, you can reduce strenuous activities and store energy properly for use in doing more important things.

4. Adopting a healthy lifestyle

Actually, a healthy lifestyle is not only important when you are suffering from a disease. In fact, this can be one way to prevent you from developing lung cancer.

This means that even when you are healthy, it is important to do this, for example exercising regularly and also adopting a healthy diet. As a cancer patient, try to get as much exercise as you can.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.