Lung cancer - signs and symptoms

Symptoms of lung cancer are varied depending on where and how and how widespread is tumor formation. The warning signs are sometimes hard to identify or even nonexistent. Lung cancer may have the following types of symptoms:

-without symptoms - around 25% of people ill in the early phase present no symptoms. The disease can be discovered in a routine (a ray or a CT scan), the tumor may be the size of a coin.

-appearance of the faction of the tumor and its tendency to develop metastases to organs cities give some symptoms, such as: breathing, wheezing, chest pain, coughing up blood. If the disease has appeared and invaded the surrounding nerves, may occur Pancoast's syndrome - shoulder pain, which descends to the outside arm or paralysis of vocal cords, which cause wheezing. Invasion of the esophagus results in difficulty swallowing. If the tumor obstructs the airways, it can cause collapse of parts of the lung; this leads to the formation of infection in that area: abscesses, pneumonia.

-symptoms caused by metastases - there are times when metastasis of lung cancer affects some bones - in this case appear severe pain in affected bones. If metastasis includes brain, neurological problems: head pain, headaches, seizures, blurred vision and stroke like symptoms: weakness, lack of sense of touch in certain areas of the body. -paraneoplastic symptoms: are indirect symptoms that result from disruption of hormone secretion: production of adrenocorticotrop hormone (ACTH), which leads to increased secretion of adrenal glands (Cushing's syndrome). The most common disorder caused by lung cancer is the secretion of parathyroid hormone-like substances, which recognizes the increasing level of calcium in the blood.

-non-specific symptoms: they are common to other cancers and are physical and mental: sudden weight loss, weakness and fatigue, depression, sudden changes of mood without cause, unjustified melancholy. Consult a doctor if: -is a persistent cough or worsen a chronic cough; -blood in the sputum appears; brose is ascertained or frequent respiratory infections; -is a persistent pain in the chest; -breathing difficulties, wheezing.

Different types of lung cancer

Types of lung cancer, also known as the bronchogenice carcinomas are generally classified into two categories: small cell lung cancer (CPCM) and cancer non-small cell lung (NSCLC). This classification is based on microscopic appearance of tumor cells themselves. These two types of cancers grow and spread in different ways and have different treatment options. Getting the type of pulmonary cancer is of particular importance.

Approximately 20% of lung cancer cases are detected CPCM; this form is very aggressive and has a very high growth rate. CPCM is closely related to smoking, only 1% of cases these tumors occurring in nonsmokers. CPCM rapidly develop metastases in other organs of the body. CPCM is found most often after already spread in the body.

NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer, representing approximately 80% of all lung cancer cases. For his type of NSCLC cancer can be divided into three main types, depending on the type of cells comprising the tumor formation. There are the following types:

-Adenocarcinomas: is the most common type of NSCLC - up to 50% of cases. This type of cancer occurs in both smokers and people who have this defect. Most adenocarcinomas occur in peripheral areas outside the lungs. Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma is a subtype of adenocarcinoma that frequently develops in several areas of the lungs and spreads along the alveolar walls.

Squamous-cell carcinomas were more frequent than adenocarcinomas previously, currently, they account for approximately 30% of NSCLC. May be known as epidermoid carcinoma, this type of cancer (squamous cell) occurs most frequently in the bronchi.

Large-cell carcinomas, sometimes referred to as undifferentiated carcinomas, are the common type of NSCLC.

-Mixtures of different types of NSCLC are also seen.

Other cancers can occur in the lungs, these types are much less common than NSCLC and CPCM and together contain only 5% -10% of cases of lung cancer:

There are bronchial carcinoid, (maximum 5% of cases). These tumors are generally small (3-4 cm or less) and occur most frequently in people under 40 years. Not related to smoking. Carcinoidele generally grow and spread more slowly than other types of tumors. If they are detected in time can be solved by surgery.
Various other types of cancer can be used as vehicle flow of blood or lymphatic system to develop metastases in the lungs. Metastatic tumors are often multiple, scattered throughout the lung. They generally focus to the periphery and are now less in the center.

To be continued


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