Lung cancer is the number one killer of women. Women develop lung carcinoma more often than men, and the death rate from lung carcinoma for women is higher than that of any other cancer. More women die of lung carcinoma than of breast cancer. In fact, lung carcinoma kills more women than any other cancer combined. But it is very treatable.
Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths among men and women. There were nearly 160,000 lung carcinoma cases diagnosed in 2012. lung carcinoma is often diagnosed late because symptoms do not appear until the disease is advanced. Most people with lung carcinoma are not diagnosed until after they develop symptoms. The five-year survival rate for all lung carcinoma cases is 15 percent.
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths in the world. More people die from lung carcinoma than any other form of cancer. In fact, about 160,000 people die each year from lung carcinoma in the United States. About 85 percent of these deaths are caused by cigarettes and tobacco. About 20 percent of people who smoke die from lung carcinoma. More women die from lung carcinoma than men. The main risk factors for developing lung carcinoma are being a smoker or having a close relative with the disease. Other risk factors include age (the older you are), sex (men are more likely to get lung carcinoma than women), race or ethnicity (African Americans are more likely to get lung carcinoma than other racial groups).
Symptoms Of Lung Cancer
- coughing up blood
- shortness of breath
- chest pains
- persistent cough or hoarseness
- loss of appetite
- unexplained weight loss
- fatigue
- chest pains
- trouble sleeping
- swelling in the arms or legs
Stages Of Lung Cancer
Stage 1 – The stage where a person has no symptoms and can be cured by surgical intervention, radiotherapy or chemo.
Stage 2 – The stage where a person has symptoms like loss of appetite, weight loss, chest pain, shortness of breath etc. It requires surgery and/or chemotherapy.
Stage 3 – The stage where a person has advanced disease. He/she may have metastasis in distant organs and is not curable by any treatment.
Stage 4 – Terminal cancer When the disease has spread beyond the lymph nodes to other organs and/or metastasized (spread to other parts of the body).
Stage 5 – Death This is the last stage and the most common in the US. It is not possible to cure a cancer patient once they have reached this stage.
If you have stage 2 lung carcinoma, it is often better to focus on treating symptoms. This can be done by taking medications or getting chemotherapy treatment. There are many types of chemotherapy, such as Adriamycin, Carboplatin, Cisplatin, and Paclitaxel. These drugs are very effective for treating this condition. The side effects may be uncomfortable, but the drugs can actually help you survive much longer. You should know that, if you have stage 3 lung carcinoma, the chance of living for at least 5 years is small. Most people who have stage 3 disease die within 1 year of diagnosis. However, the prognosis may be better for younger patients.
Treatments
lung carcinoma can be treated with chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and other therapies.
If you have stage 2 lung carcinoma, it is often better to focus on treating symptoms. This can be done by taking medications or getting chemotherapy treatment. There are many types of chemotherapy, such as Adriamycin, Carboplatin, Cisplatin, and Paclitaxel. These drugs are very effective for treating this condition. The side effects may be uncomfortable, but the drugs can actually help you survive much longer. You should know that, if you have stage 3 lung carcinoma, the chance of living for at least 5 years is small. Most people who have stage 3 disease die within 1 year of diagnosis. However, the prognosis may be better for younger patients.
lung carcinoma is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States. People with lung carcinoma can get the treatment they need at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Johns Hopkins lung carcinoma Center offers comprehensive treatment programs for adults and children. Patients with lung carcinoma are offered surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapies.
