The Types of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a risk that everybody faces. It affects people of all ages, all races and both men and women. It can be one of the most difficult forms of cancer to avoid because the causes are in the very air we breathe. But knowing the causes of lung cancer and which type you particularly are most at risk for, can greatly help you because then you know what to avoid to reduce your risk.

Causes Of Lung Cancer

Lung cancers are caused by a mixture of factors in a person’s life. They manifest when there has been excessive damage to the lung cells and these cells have mutated in order to divide rapidly and spread. The most common cause of lung cancer is smoking. Smoking damages the lungs by introducing all sorts of toxic chemicals into your lungs such as nicotine and tar. Scientific research has shown that nicotine is able to enter lung cells and change their DNA. Tar, on the other hand, causes inflammation that releases a number of oxidizing chemicals. Oxidizing chemicals are also able to cause mutation.

Other causes with similar effects include radon gas, asbestos and air pollution. There is also a genetic element as to how susceptible a person is to the mutation that can lead to lung cancer.

Most of the causes are somewhat avoidable, but for those that aren’t, there are also mitigating steps that can be taken. Keeping a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods and antioxidants helps to protect all of the cells in the body from oxidative damage. Click here to visit Customer Review, the website which discusses natural anti-inflammatory compounds that can be taken daily to reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic disorders.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinomas are formed from the fat cells present in the airways. They grow quite quickly but generally spread later than a small cell carcinoma or an adenocarcinoma. They are mostly correlated with a history of smoking. Men seem to be more susceptible to squamous cell carcinoma than women.

Adenocarcinoma

Adenocarcinomas are much more common in women and nonsmokers, although smoking still greatly increases the risk of developing an adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma occurs more towards the sides of the lung and are, on average smaller than squamous cell carcinomas. They also grow much slower than squamous cell carcinomas.

Small Cell Carcinoma

Small cell carcinoma is the most dangerous of the lot. 99% of people who have been diagnosed with a small cell carcinoma have a history of smoking so it is actually easily avoidable. But once a person has small cell carcinoma it tends to be very aggressive and spreads quickly. Small cell carcinomas also causes very strange symptoms because they produce hormones that they shouldn’t be producing.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is most commonly associated with asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a fiber that was previously used in all sorts of building materials but is now, fortunately, banned in most places. The risk of developing mesothelioma in more heavily exposed individuals is about 10% but it only shows after 10 to 40 years, meaning that people only experience the symptoms when they are over 60. After that, it develops quite rapidly and there’s very little that can be done about it.

Conclusion

Any discussion about cancer can tend to be quite scary and gloomy. But since it is a risk that everyone faces it is important to know how your choices can increase or decrease your risk. Minimizing your risk of cancer involves staying away from the causes and maintaining general good health by having a good diet and exercising often. It is also important to be aware of the risks because the earlier a cancer is caught, the easier it is to treat it.

The symptoms of lung cancer are quite nonspecific so there is no need to panic every time you have a cough. But regular check ups help to catch any early cancers before they can spread.

If you are experiencing a cough, weight loss, chest pain and shortness of breath together it is a fairly suggestive sign of cancer, and there is very little time to wait, so get to a doctor soon to catch it as early as possible. Combining the various avoidance of risk factors and positive lifestyle choices together with a regular medical check up very strongly reduces the risk of developing lung cancer so that you can actually live a less stressed life.