What are the Main Lung Cancer Effects?

Lung cancer is responsible for the highest number of deaths in males and is second only to breast cancer in females, so lung cancer effects are far-reaching. Not only is the patient affected; the family and friends of the patient suffer with them.

The two main causes of lung cancer are smoking and industrial toxins. With the improvement in health and safety issues in the workplace, smoking has become the major cause in recent times, although there are people still suffering the effects of working with dangerous substances, like asbestos, years after working in the toxic environment.

People who smoke can no longer claim they are unaware that smoking is dangerous and causes lung cancer. Public health campaigns in most countries have worked hard to get the message across, but still people smoke. They put their own lives in danger, but also cause grief to their families and friends, tie up the health system when they become ill and, in many countries, cost vast amounts of public health money. Another side-affect of smoking is the danger it represents to people who happen to be near smokers when they light up – it has been proven that second-hand smoke is as lethal as smoke directly from the cigarette.

Lung cancer is generally terminal, although cases that are diagnosed and treated in the early stages, have a better chance of surviving longer than those who are not diagnosed until the disease is further advanced. Even if treatment puts the cancer into remission, it invariably returns, and is known to return repeatedly.

There are different types of lung cancer and some are more aggressive than others. Squamous cell lung cancer is slow growing and slow spreading, and is often not detected until it has spread outside the lungs and metastasized to organs like the brain and liver. The difficulty with diagnosis is that lung cancer is often well-advanced before it is detected, and treatment does little more than ease the symptoms and extend lifespan a little.

The reason for this is that lung cancer doesn't have its own unique symptoms and the cancer is usually picked up when other conditions are being investigated. These include persistent coughing, shortness of breath, general fatigue and changes to appetite and weight. The patient might go to the doctor with any or several of these symptoms, and an x-ray shows the tumors in the lung.

The effects of lung cancer also come from the treatment. While some lung cancers are operable, most are treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. The side effects of these treatments are well-documented – nausea, vomiting, hair falling out, fatigue etc. The extent to which these side effects are felt depends on the strength of the treatment and the general health of the patient. Many lung cancer patients become too ill and weak to be able to stand the treatment.

To offset the effects of lung cancer, quit smoking immediately. While there may already be damage done to your lungs, quitting could save your life. If you have smoked at any time in your life, it would be a good idea to have chest x-rays regularly to check for tumors in your lungs, so treatment can begin early. Don't wait until you get sick before checking your lungs.