preview

Lung Cancer Research

Decent Essays

Lung cancer is the number one cause of death by cancer. It has affected my family tremendously. My grandma was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in June of 2014, it has been almost two years and she is still fighting. She has gone through so much and it really takes a toll on your body. She has gone through years of chemotherapy, radiation, so many drugs and recently was put on oxygen that she needs 24/7. I pray every day that people will stop smoking and not take the risk of developing lung cancer. Tobacco use is the number one cause of lung cancer, but people who don't smoke may get lung cancer secondhand. The risks of developing lung cancer are related to three main factors: the age when a person started smoking, how long a person has …show more content…

These cancers are usually identified when a chest x-ray has to be performed for another reason. The majority of people develop some kind of symptoms. The symptoms are due to the effects of tumors, from the cancer spreading to other parts of the body (metastases) or even to disturbances of hormones or blood. About 30-40% of people with lung cancer have some symptoms or signs of metastatic disease. Symptoms of metastatic cancer depend on the extent and location of the cancer spread. After developing lung cancer, it often will spread to the liver, bones and the brain as well. If lung cancer metastases in the liver it may cause yellowing to the skin and eyes (jaundice) but you might not see these symptoms at the time of diagnosis. Lung cancer that metastases in the bones can cause severe bone pain. Lung cancer that spreads to the brain can cause many difficulties with vision, weakness or even seizures. The symptoms of lung cancer include a new cough that doesn't go away, changes in a chronic cough or "smoker's cough," coughing up blood (hemoptysis) or rusty-colored phlegm, shortness of breath results from blockage in part of the lung, the spread of tumors, or fluid around the lung (pleural effusion), fatigue, chest pain that is a dull, aching and persistent, wheezing or hoarseness may be a signal for blockage or inflammation, recurrent respiratory infections like bronchitis or pneumonia, unexplained weight loss, bone pain, and

Get Access