Title Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, but more importantly, it has a very low survival rate. The sad truth is that nearly all cases of lung cancer could have been prevented, simply by not smoking. Mr. Ward is a perfect example of this in the case study. Having smoked for approximately 67 years, it was only a matter of time before he developed some type of cancer, in this case lung cancer. This paper will describe how lung cancer, specifically squamous cell cancer of the right lung, affects Mr. Ward’s body, beginning with the potential and actual risk factors for lung cancer. Followed by changes that occur in the respiratory system as a result of lung cancer, and ending with the organs at risk as lung cancer spreads.
The Causes of Lung Cancer Obviously the biggest risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. The amount of smoking and the length of time as a smoker, especially if beginning at an early age, help determine the risk of developing lung cancer. Thus, the more a person smokes and the longer they smoke increases their risk for developing lung cancer. Along with smoking, come the risks associated with secondhand smoke. A person does not have to be a smoker to develop lung cancer, simply being in the same environment and inhaling cigarette smoke is a risk factor for lung cancer. A third risk factor involves environmental pollutants or irritants. Exposure to these irritants however, presents a much lower risk of developing lung cancer compared
Lung Cancer, like any other type of cancer, is the uncontrollable growth of cells in the lung tissue. The main causes that contribute to lung cancer include inhaling carcinogens (basically, smoking), exposure to ionizing radiation, viral infections and even air pollution. These factors basically damage the tissues lining the bronchi in the lung, leading the cancer to develop further (Vaporciyan & Nesbitt JC, 2000). Primary lung cancers that develop in the epithelial tissues of the lung are known as carcinomas and claim the top spot in terms of leading cancer-related death causes. As of 2004, lung cancer
A common form of cancer that is very popular today is lung cancer. Lung cancer is a very dangerous form that can cause problems in simple body functions. These simple body functions are short breath and general fatigue. Lung cancer is commonly formed from smokers that has been exposed to that activity for numerous years. Lung cancer can also be spread by being exposed to asbestos or other pollutants. This form of cancer has many risk factors to it. These risk factors are high levels of air pollution, arsenic drinking water, and radon gas. Radon gas is a gas that is highly radioactive and is very sensitive to the body. Once radon is exposed to the body, it has a very high respiration rate which initially divide its radioactive cells- causing more significant damage to the body.
|Specific Purpose: |To inform readers on the causes, effects and treatments of lung cancer. |
According to Rothaermel 2017, Michael Phelps, nicknamed MP, is the most decorated Olympian of all time. He competed in four Olympic Games, this American swimmer won 22 Olympic medals, including 18 gold. Rothaermel also stated “in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics, Phelps at the age of 15 was the youngest U.S. athlete in almost seven decades. In 2008 at the Beijing Olympics, Phelps won an unprecedented eight gold medals, and while doing so set seven world records. Eight short days changed Olympic history and Phelps’ life forever, making MP one of the greatest athletes of all time.”
Lung cancer can be caused by multiple factors and many factors can work together to cause someone to have lung cancer. Besides smoking, radon, secondhand smoke, the environment and someone’s occupation can all cause lung cancer. As we already know smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer cases worldwide and over forty-three million people just in the United States smoke cigarettes. There are more than fifty chemicals in tobacco smoke that are ingested each time someone smokes. Some of these chemicals include benzene (which can be found in pesticides and gasoline), Formaldehyde (which preserve dead bodies), pesticides (which are found on lawns and gardens) and Tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (Martin, 2012). When a person inhales the chemicals in cigarettes, they inhale thousands of poisons, toxic metals, and
Asbestos can cause a wide variety of lung diseases, including lung cancer. Asbestos and tobacco smoking will combine together to form lung cancer in the body. Radon gas, which is a radioactive gas that cannot be seen, tasted or smelled, can also play a big role in developing lung cancer. Radon gas is produced by the natural breakdown of uranium found in the earth’s crust. Radon exposure is the second main cause of lung cancer after smoking. A couple other minor risk factors of lung cancer include family history, air pollution, and vitamin A deficiency. People who do not get enough vitamin A are at an increased risk of lung cancer. Taking too much vitamin A may also increase your lung cancer risk (Bryant, 2008).
Quit Organization (2016) stated that a Tobacco smoke is compose of thousands of chemicals and many of them are very damaging. Around 70 of them can cause cancer. Not only does smoking increase the chance for lung cancer, it is also a risk factor for cancers like the: Mouth, Larynx , Pharynx, Esophagus, Kidney, Cervix, Liver, Bladder, Pancreas, Stomach, Colon/rectum and Myeloid leukemia. Cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and spit and other types of smokeless tobacco can all cause cancer.
The risk of getting diagnosed with lung cancer increases depending on the length of time a person smoke and the amount a person smokes. People that smoke more than 5 cigarettes a day have 200 times the chance of developing the cancer than the non-smoker. Second hand smoking can also cause lung cancer. Another cause is being exposed to radon for a long time. Radon is a radioactive gas. Some environmental toxins that can cause lung cancer are asbestos, hydrocarbon products, nickel, vinyl chloride, uranium, and pitchblende. Coal tars or roofing products are some examples of hydrocarbon products. One more cause for lung cancer can be the continuous damage of lungs for any
Lung cancer occurs due to cells in a person’s lungs that multiple at a rapid pace, which form a malignant tumor. These tumors in the lungs take away important necessities such as oxygen, and nutrients; diminishes the ability of the tissue to properly function. One of the most type of common lung cancers is Adenocarcinoma, which make up to forty percent of these cases. Smoking is the primary reason for Americans to be diagnosed with lung cancer, with a cigarette containing more than 4,000 chemicals that have permanent damage to the lungs causing long term effects (Conrad 2016).
Lung cancer happens to be the top cause of deaths in the United States for both genders. It tends to people who smoke are at a higher risks for this type of cancer. Even people who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at risk. Others can get this cancer even if they aren't near smoke at all. Smoke is believed to cause lung cancer because it's damaging the cells that line the lungs. It causes cells to act abnormally.
One of the leading and most avoidable risk factors of lung cancer is smoking. In both males and females smoking is linked to a higher incidence of lung cancer at an increase of 23% and 13% respectively. Smoking not only increases the likelihood of lung cancer, but has shown a correlation in higher risk of other cancers such as oral, laryngeal, pharyngeal, esophageal, pancreatic, ovarian, and multiple more. As a whole,
The most common cause of lung cancer is smoking cigarettes. 80% of people who have lung cancer got it from smoking. The longer you smoke cigarettes the better chance of getting lung cancer. Smoking at a young age increases the chance of getting lung cancer more then starting to smoke as an adult. The sooner you quit, the better your life will be. Passive smoking (secondhand smoking) can give you lung cancer if exposed for a long time to it.
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
It was one thought that lung cancer was strictly caused by lifestyle choices, but over the past years, it has been shown that lifestyle isn’t the thing that can potentially allow one to contract lung cancer. The environment along with tobacco use and genetics can also play a role in contracting lung cancer. In an industrial world, pollution has been a reoccurring problem. With emissions from vehicles and industrial power plants, air pollution and/or smog has been hovering over us. In places like China who are thriving in the industrial world, are being greatly affected by air pollution. According to Brody, “In Asia, lung cancer is alarmingly
Aside from the obvious cause of lung cancer, which is smoking, there are several others. However, almost all of these can be avoided. Preventable risk factors include smoking marijuana, inhaling certain chemicals like gasoline fuel or diesel exhaust, undergoing radiation therapy, and having a poor diet. But, the American Cancer Society affirms that about 87% of lung cancer cases are a result of smoking tobacco, and that some of the other 13% are caused by secondhand smoke (11). Out of all the risk factors for lung cancer, smoking has the biggest impact. This is also ironic, as smoking is the easiest factor to avoid. Theoretically this should be the least prominent factor, as it is a voluntary decision to start smoking and is easier to avoid than any of the other factors. Yet, about 47.1 million people in the United States smoke (American Heart Association), and willingly put themselves at risk for lung cancer. At the same time though, people do not start smoking just because they want to develop lung cancer later in life; there are numerous factors that play into their decision. For example, people are influenced to smoke for reasons such as peer pressure, a way to deal with stress, and people they look up to that smoke (Bonas). They think it will help them relieve stress, or fit in, and they do not think about the consequences that come with their newfound hobby. Eventually smokers find that they cannot quit, for both physical and psychological