Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. It is mainly caused by cigarette smoking, which contains over 4,000 chemicals that are carcinogenic. Symptoms of lung cancer may include coughing, coughing up blood, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Diagnosis involves scans, biopsies, and determining if the cancer has spread from the lungs to other organs like the bones or brain. Treatment options include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and electrosurgery. Survival rates depend on the stage of cancer, ranging from over 5 years for stage 1a to less than 1 year for stage 4.

1. Lung Cancer
Lung Cancer
By: Allison Herman

2. About Lung Cancer:
• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in
women and men both in the United States and throughout
the world.
• In the United States in 2009, 159,390 people were projected
to die from lung cancer, which is more than the number of
deaths from colon and rectal, breast, and prostate cancer
combined.

3. Causes:
• Cigarette smoking is the most important cause of lung
cancer.
• Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, many of
which have been identified as causing cancer.
• Second-hand smoking, pollution and radon exposure are risks
for lung cancer.

4. Symptoms&Signs:
• Up to one-fourth of all people with lung cancer may have no
symptoms when the cancer is diagnosed. These cancers
usually are identified incidentally when a chest X-ray is
performed for another reason.
• Symptoms of primary lung cancers include cough, coughing
up blood, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

5. Diagnosis:
• CT scan or MRI is performed to see if there is anything
unusual.
• A biopsy is performed to diagnose.

6. Body Affected:
• A lung cancer patient will experience coughing because the
tumor grows and presses on the chest. You may also
cough up blood, wheeze, have chest pain, experience
severe weight loss, and have voice hoarseness.
• Cancer tumor may spread to other parts of the body.
• The spreading of lung cancer to the bones causes
tremendous pain and can make affected bones break more
easily. Lung cancer that metastasizes in the brain causes
several neurological disorders including seizures, reduced
vision, loss of control and sensation in certain body parts.

7. Treatment:
• Radiation therapy.
• Chemotherapy.
• Remove tumor with surgery.
• Electrosurgery, using laser to destroy tissue.

8. Survival:
• Fewer than 10% of people with primary lung cancer are
alive 5 years after diagnosis, but the stage of lung
cancer depends how long you will live.
• Stage 1a—more than 60 months (> 5 years)
• Stage 1b—about 36 months (3 years)
• Stage 2a—about 24 months (2 years)
• Stage 2b—about 20 months (< 2 years)
• Stage 3a—about 15 months (< 1.5 years)
• Stage 3b—about 12 months (1 year)
• Stage 4—about 8 months (< 1 year)