What are the symptoms of lung cancer?
In many, there may not be symptoms in the early phase. Symptoms may occur after the disease has advanced. A new cough that does not improve, coughing of blood even in small quantities, chest pain, hoarseness, and shortness of breath are early symptoms. Sometimes the only symptom could be when lung cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Loss of appetite, loss of weight, swelling on the face and neck, headache, and bone pains. Sometimes the patient may present with symptoms related to distant metastasis.
What are the two types of lung cancers?
Small cell lung cancer usually only happens in people who have smoked heavily for many years. Small cell lung cancer is less common than non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer includes several types of lung cancers. They include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma.
How to prevent lung cancer?
Avoid smoking cigarettes, Bedi, cigars, and pipe smoking. Second-hand smoke, environmental risk factors, and HIV infection are also major risk factors. The protective factors include not smoking, quitting smoking, lower exposure to chemicals at the workplace, and radon exposure. It is not proven that diet and physical activity reduce the risk of lung cancer.
What about exposure at the workplace?
Being exposed to asbestos, arsenic, chromium, nickel, beryllium, cadmium, diesel exhaust, tar, and soot would increase the risk of lung cancer. Smoking further adds to the risk among these individuals.
What are the complications of lung cancer?
Lung cancer patients have a high risk of pneumonia, increased calcium in the blood and various types of brain disorders, facial swelling due to thrombosis of veins in the neck, shortness of breath, breathing difficulties, and an increased tendency for blood clots in the legs or elsewhere. Spitting of blood, spread to the spine may cause severe pain, weakness and trouble walking, nerve pains, and difficulty in swallowing may also occur. These occur when lung cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Can artificial intelligence (AI) help detect lung cancer?
Researchers are convinced that an Al program can detect lung cancer nodules early. In many the lung nodules can be early signs of cancer.
What are the treatment options for lung cancer?
The treatments that you may be given would depend on the type and the stage of lung cancer. It would also depend upon your overall health. The most common treatment options are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.
