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Lung Cancer : A Genetic And Acquired Disease

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Lung cancer is a genetic and acquired disease. Lung cancer is genetic because cancer in general is caused by changes to the genes that control the way our cells function, especially how they grow and divide. All of these changes include mutations in the DNA that makes up our genes. Genetic changes that increase cancer risk can be inherited from our parents, if the changes are presents in germ cells. Which are the reproductive cells of the body, those are the eggs and the sperm. Lung cancer is also acquired because as the result of errors that occur as cells divide a person’s lifetime or exposure to certain chemicals. Some examples of these chemicals are found in tobacco smoke, radiation, UV rays from the sun that damage DNA. “In general, cancer cells have more genetic changes than normal cells. But each person’s cancer has a unique combination of genetic alterations.” Some of these changes may be the result of cancer, rather than the cause. As the cancer continues to grow, additional changes will occur. Even within the same tumor, cancer cells may have different genetic changes.

Lung cancer has multiple ways of impacting a body. This depends on the stage of lung cancer and when it becomes diagnosed. At early stages, lung cancer patients are often unaware that they have the disease. As the disease becomes more advanced, variable symptoms can develop. They often present with respiratory symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, or blood with coughing. Common places

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