Types
of Lung Cancer
Lungs
Cancers are divided into two major types, depending on how the
cells look under a microscope-
Each
type of lung cancer grows and spreads in different ways and is
treated differently.
Nonsmall
cell lung cancer - is more
common than small cell lung cancer, and it generally grows and
spreads more slowly. There are three main types of non-small
cell lung cancer-
Small
cell lung cancer - is also
known as oat cell cancer and is less common than non-small cell
lung cancer. It grows more quickly and is more likely to spread
to other organs in the body.
Symptoms
-
A
chronic cough that gradually worsens
-
Constant
chest pain
-
Coughing
up blood (hemoptysis)
-
Shortness
of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness
-
Repeated
attacks of chest infections (pneumonia or bronchitis)
-
Swelling
(edema) of the neck and face
-
Loss
of appetite or weight loss, fatigue
*These
symptoms could be caused by lung cancer or by other conditions.
It is important to check with a doctor.
Staging
of Lung Cancer:
A
two stage system formulated by the Veterans Administration Lung
Cancer Study Group is commonly used for staging small cell lung
cancer patients.
Limited
stage disease -Tumor confined
to the one side of thorax (hemithorax), the mediastinum, and
the supraclavicular nodes, which can be encompassed within a
“tolerable” radiation therapy port.
Extensive
stage disease
Extensive
stage small cell lung cancer means tumor that is too widespread
to be included within the definition of limited stage disease
above. Patients with distant metastases (M1) are always
considered to have extensive stage disease.
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