Chemicals such as depleted uranium and Agent Orange also cause lung cancer, but these cases tend to be rare and are usually limited to people who served in the U.S. military. Agent Orange is an herbicide that was used in Vietnam to kill vegetation and expose the enemy. Soldiers in the Persian Gulf War were exposed to depleted uranium by coming into contact with it in tanks and vehicles, or by coming into contact with vehicles or bunkers that were hit by depleted uranium munitions.
Mesothelioma Treatment Lung cancer patients' prognoses depend on how advanced their cancer is, how or if it has metastasized, and their age and general overall health. Common lung cancer treatments include chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery. Some aggressive treatments include a combination of all three.
Early stages of lung cancer typically do not have severe symptoms, and the symptoms that are present are often similar to those of other common illnesses. Patients are sometimes mistakenly treated for other ailments while there's a more serious, underlying problem. Typical lung cancer symptoms include:
- chest pain
- cough or coughing up blood
- fatigue
- hoarseness
- neck and face swelling
- persistent chest, shoulder, or back pain that worsens with deep breaths
- repeated bouts of bronchitis or pneumonia
- shortness of breath
- weight loss
Since these symptoms are similar to those of other diseases, it is necessary for a patient to see a doctor to determine the exact cause. The doctor likely will ask the patient many questions about his or her medical history, including questions about smoking, and asbestos or chemical exposure. Once diagnosed, the cancer will be staged and a treatment plan will be administered. Lung cancer staging is a determination of how advanced the cancer is. While a number of variables are taken into consideration when staging the disease, the most important factor is whether or not the tumor has metastasized. SCLC and NSCLC, however, are staged differently from one another.
Stages of SCLC Lung Cancer SCLC has just two stages—limited disease and extensive disease—because this type of cancer often spreads beyond the lung very early. In most instances, SCLCs are treated as advanced cancers even if there is no evidence that the cancer has spread.
Limited disease refers to the cancer being contained to only one lung, in nearby lymph nodes or in the pleural fluid surrounding the lungs. Extensive disease indicates that the cancer has spread to other part of the body outside the chest area.
Unlike small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer is divided into four different stages. This is common among other cancers as well. The more progressed the cancer has gotten, the higher the stage rating. The four stages of lung cancer are:
Stage 1 – Cancer is a relatively small tumor with no involvement of the lymph nodes, and no metastasis
Stage 2 – Cancer has moved into the pulmonary hilar or bronchial lymph nodes, but has not spread beyond the lungs.
Stage 3 – Cancer has spread to tissues in the chest and/or invaded lypmh nodes in the mediastinum, but has not yet fully spread through the body.
Stage 4 – Cancer has metastasized. It has spread outside the chest cavity and can be anywhere, the liver or even the brain.
Currently, there are three staging systems used for mesothelioma—the TNM, Butchart systems and the Brigham system. The TNM system, which is the most widely used, focuses on how much the cancer has spread, the size of the tumor and lymph node analysis. The Butchart system, which is much older than the TNM, focuses exclusively on the mass of the primary tumor. The Brigham staging system allows for four stages and it is based on whether the mesothelioma can treated or removed by surgery. It is also based on whether or not the body’s lymph nodes are involved.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar