What is lung cancer?
Lung cancer starts when abnormal cells grow out of control in the
lung. They can invade nearby tissues and form tumors. Lung cancer
can start anywhere in the lungs and affect any part of the respiratory
system.
The cancer cells can spread, or metastasize, to the lymph nodes and
other parts of the body.
What causes lung cancer?
Most lung cancer is caused by smoking. Secondhand smoke also can
cause lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths.
Being exposed to arsenic, asbestos, radioactive dust, or radon can
increase your chances of getting lung cancer. People who are exposed
to radiation at work or elsewhere have a higher chance of getting lung
cancer.
What are the symptoms?
Early lung cancer doesn't usually cause any symptoms. This is why
it's not usually found early.
What Happens
Lung cancer may cause breathing or heart problems such as:
• Pleural effusion, which is the buildup of fluid between the
outer lining of the lungs and the chest wall. This is a
common condition with lung cancer.
• Coughing up large amounts of bloody sputum.
• Collapse of a lung (pneumothorax).
• Blockage of the airway (bronchial obstruction).
• Recurrent infections, such as pneumonia.
• Pericardial effusion, which is the buildup of fluid in the
space between the heart and the sac around the heart
(pericardium). This condition is not common with lung
cancer.
As lung cancer grows, it may spread (metastasize) to other parts of
the body. Lung cancer is classified in stages that are determined by
the size of the cancer and how far it has spread within the lung, to
nearby tissues, or to other organs.
Your doctor determines the stage of your lung cancer by gathering
information from a variety of tests, including bone scans, PET scans,
CT scans, and X-rays. The stage of your cancer is one of the most
important factors in choosing an effective treatment.
The long-term outcome (prognosis) for lung cancer depends on how
much the cancer has grown and spread. Experts talk about prognosis
in terms of "5-year survival rates." The 5-year survival rate means the
percentage of people who are still alive 5 years or longer after their
cancer was discovered. Because lung cancer is often diagnosed at an
advanced stage, only 16% of people live 5 or more years after being
diagnosed. 1 It is important to remember that these are only averages.
Everyone's case is different, and these numbers do not necessarily
show what will happen to you.
How is lung cancer diagnosed?
Your doctor will check your symptoms and ask questions about
whether you smoke or have been exposed to another person's smoke
or to any cancer-causing substances. He or she will also ask about
your medical history, including any history of cancer in your family.
This information will help your doctor decide how likely it is that you
have lung cancer and whether you need tests to be sure.
Lung cancer is usually first found on a chest X-ray or a CT scan.
More tests are done to find out what kind of cancer cells you have
and whether they have spread beyond your lung. These tests help
your doctor and you find out what stage the cancer is in. The stage is
a rating to measure how big the cancer is and how far it has spread.
Exams and Tests
To determine whether lung cancer may be causing your respiratory
symptoms, your doctor will evaluate your:
• Medical history, including your smoking history and any
symptoms you have now.
• Exposure to environmental and work substances.
• Family history of cancer.
Initial exams and tests for suspected lung cancer include:
• Medical history to determine your risk factors for
developing lung cancer.
• Physical examination to find any lung problems or swollen
lymph nodes.
• Chest X-ray to look for any abnormalities that may be
causing your symptoms, such as pneumonia or a lung mass
(tumor).
• Complete blood count (CBC) to see whether you have
abnormal values of red blood cells, white blood cells, or
platelets.
• Calcium, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, and lactic acid
dehydrogenase to determine electrolyte and liver function.
These tests are likely to have abnormal values if cancer is
present and has spread to other tissue or body organs.
If your medical history, physical examination, or chest X-ray suggest
that lung cancer is present, your doctor may recommend other tests,
such as:
• CT scan of the lungs, sometimes with transthoracic needle
aspiration biopsy (TNAB) of a lung nodule. A needle
biopsy uses a needle inserted through the chest wall to
remove a sample of lung tissue (biopsy). This usually is
done if the abnormal lung tissue is located close to the
chest wall. Imaging procedures such as ultrasound or
fluoroscopy may also be used to help guide the needle to
the right spot.
• Sputum cytology to evaluate the type of any abnormal cells
that are present in your mucus.
• Thoracentesis to take a sample of the fluid around your
lungs to evaluate the type of any abnormal cells.
Thoracentesis is done if you have a large collection of fluid
around your lung (pleural effusion). Thoracentesis is
sometimes used to find out why you have fluid collecting
 around your lung. Other times it is just to remove the fluid everyone’s case is different and that these numbers may not show
and make it easier for you to breathe. what will happen in your case.
• Bronchoscopy to take a biopsy of cells from your airway.
• Lung biopsy to evaluate the type of any abnormal cells.

Can you prevent lung cancer?

Lung cancer is one of the easiest cancers to prevent because most

lung cancer is caused by smoking. So it is important to stop smoking
—or to stop being around someone else’s smoke.

Even if you have smoked a long time, quitting can lower your
chances of getting cancer. If you already have lung cancer, quitting
makes your treatment work better and can help you live longer.

What Increases Your Risk

Risk factors for lung cancer include:

• Tobacco use. Smoking and chewing tobacco are related to

developing lung cancer, as well as to cancer of the mouth
and throat. Over 85% of lung cancers are related to
smoking. 2 More than half of the people who are newly
diagnosed with lung cancer are former smokers. Smoking
unfiltered, high-tar cigarettes may put you at a higher risk
than smoking filtered or low-tar cigarettes, although this
has not been proved. The risk of developing lung cancer
increases:
o The longer you smoke.
o The more cigarettes you smoke each day.
• Exposure to tobacco smoke, such as living with a smoker.
If you live with a smoker, you have 2 to 3 times the risk for
lung cancer compared with a person who lives in a
nonsmoking environment. 5 About 25% of nonsmokers who
develop lung cancer probably get it from being exposed to
secondhand smoke. 3
• Marijuana use. Smoking one marijuana cigarette, or a joint,
may affect the lungs as much as smoking a pack of
cigarettes. 8
• Exposure to certain chemicals, such as arsenic, asbestos,
radioactive dust, or radon.
• Radiation exposure from occupational, medical, or
environmental sources.

How is it treated?

Treatment for lung cancer includes surgery, anti-cancer medicines

(chemotherapy), radiation, or a mix of all three. It depends on what
type of cancer you have and how much it has spread.

Few lung cancers are found in the early stages when treatment is
most effective.

It can be very scary to learn that you may have lung cancer. Talking
with your doctor or joining a support group may help you deal with
your feelings. Having support from family and friends can help a lot.
And staying as active as possible will also help.

Less than half of people who get lung cancer live 1 more year after
the cancer is found. And only about 16 out of 100 people with lung
cancer live for 5 or more years. 1 It’s important to remember that