Lung Cancer: Fast Facts
Reviewed By:
Martin E. Liebling, M.D., FACP
- Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men
and women worldwide.
- About 87 percent of lung cancers are due to tobacco products,
either through direct smoking or passive exposure to smoking,
according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
- Men have a slightly greater chance of developing lung cancer (1
in 13) compared to women, who have a 1 in 17 chance. Lung cancer
will account for 12 percent of all new cases of cancer.
- There are two basic types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung
cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The type of lung
cancer is important because it affects how the disease is treated.
Most cases of lung cancer are NSCLC, which generally grows more
slowly than SCLC.
- NSCLC can be divided into subtypes, such as adenocarcinoma,
squamous cell carcinoma, and large-cell undifferentiated
carcinoma.
- Common symptoms of lung cancer include persistent cough (often
called smoker's cough), breathing problems, blood in sputum,
pneumonia and other respiratory infections, chest pain, weight loss
and fatigue.
- Tests such as ultrasound, MRI, CAT scans and PET scans can be
used to assess how far tumors have spread. Bone scans may be
performed to determine metastasis to the bones. Needle biopsy is
performed to obtain a sample of the cells for microscopic
examination.
- If the cancer is detected early and remains confined to the
lung, surgery may be an option.
- For lung cancer that has spread, chemotherapy and radiation
therapy are standard treatment methods.
- Small cell lung cancer, which metastasizes quickly, can also be
treated with brain radiation to prevent spreading of the cancer to
the brain.
- About 60 percent of the people diagnosed with lung cancer will
die within one year of their diagnosis. Within two years, 70 to 80
percent will die from the disease.
- Currently, there are about 330,000 individuals who have
survived lung cancer.
- Not all smokers get lung cancer. Studies by the National
Institutes of Health estimate that you have about a 20 percent
chance of developing lung cancer if you are a smoker.
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