Join in the Fight Against All Cancer and Breast Cancer Awareness.

Lung Cancer

Today, lung cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer, despite healthcare warnings. Although some people develop lung cancer without medical reason, most victims have a history of exposure to cigarette smoke, asbestos, and a wide variety of environmental pollutants.

Even though, there have been many advancements in lung cancer treatment, it is still difficult to treat bronchi carcinoma. So, if you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, you need to be informed about the disease and your different types of treatment options.

Surgery

In early stage cancers, many times a surgeon can remove the tumor. Additional treatments with chemotherapy and radiation are common, but surgery at this stage is more effective than at later stages. Surgery to open up airways or allow better breathing are also possible.

Lung Cancer Chemotherapy

Many other cancers have several options for chemotherapy, ranging from an intramuscular injection (a shot) to a drug one takes orally every day. However, lung cancer chemotherapy options are often limited to intravenous delivery. Although this is an older way of delivering the chemicals, it is still the most effective for these patients.

Radiation is a commonly used therapy that attacks the cancerous cells with high levels of harmful radiation. Currently most radiation therapy for lung tumors is delivered externally, but researchers are investigating the possibilities of pellet delivery. In this kind of radiation therapy, a pellet is buried in the body near the tumor or even directly into it.

New Therapies

Besides radiation seeds, researchers are also looking into the effectiveness of tumor growth inhibitors, antibody therapy, vaccines, and even light to treat lung cancer. However, with these therapies as well as the old ones the stage of your cancer is important in the decision.

No doubt you will have many questions for your doctor if you are diagnosed with bronchi cancer, whether its a full-blown cancer or in the precancerous stage. Some of these questions should include stage of the cancer, length of your treatment, lifestyle changes that will help the effectiveness of the treatment, and whether you can be included in clinical trials for new therapies.

However, because bronchi carcinoma is mostly caused by environmental factors, prevention is still the best therapy. Many people know the hazards of smoking and exposure to other air pollutants, but only realize when they come down with the cancer and begin treatment that they should have listened to warnings.

A few of the steps you should take to prevent exposure to environmental causes of bronchi carcinoma are:

If you smoke, stop. If you don't smoke, don't start.
Avoid situations where you find yourself enveloped in second-hand or third-hand smoke.
If you work with hazardous materials, be sure you are protected with the proper clothing, face masks, and any other necessary devices--if you do not know what they are, check with OSHA.
Get a radon detector for your home--this is one of the known causes of bronchi carcinoma.

If you have had a relative who developed lung cancer with no known traditional reason, then talk to your doctor about diagnostic screening. As with any other cancer, prevention is still the best therapy.