Download Lung Cancer Report

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Ty Russell
Professor Lynne Gilbert-Norton
Biology 1010
25 April 2012
LUNG CANCER
Lung cancer is a very interesting aspect of cellular biology. I have always been fascinated
with the fact that cancer has no real cure. Within my own family there is no real link to many
cancers that are passed down by genetics such as brain cancer, prostate cancer, or skin cancer;
although, there have been cases within my family of lung cancer. Both of my Grandpas and
Grandmas smoked for over 45 years before they quit. One reason that lung cancer sticks out to
me is that it is avoidable, in most cases. Lung cancer was uncommon before the advent of
cigarette smoking. In fact, the population segment most likely to develop lung cancer is
individuals over-fifties who have a history of smoking. Both sets of my Grandparents had
parents who smoked and both passed away due to lung cancer. It holds relevancy with me due to
the fact that, as I mentioned above, all of my Grandparents smoked for a long period of time and
I want to be more educated on the subject of Lung Cancer.
Before I delve into the specifics of lung cancer I wanted to develop knowledge of cancer
as a whole. According to dictionary.com cancer is defined as, “a malignant and invasive growth
or tumor, especially one originating in epithelium, tending to recur after excision and to
metastasize to other sites” ("Cancer"). More simply, cancer involves unregulated cell growth. In
cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts
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of the body. Cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the body through the lymphatic
system or bloodstream. Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in
tissues of the lung. Diagnosing lung cancer is a far more complicated process than I had
imagined. There are many causes of lung cancer that will be further discussed. There are
preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of lung cancer that should be
observed. There are ways to treat lung cancer, once discovered; although, according to the
International Journal of Cancer, “Worldwide, lung cancer is the most common cancer in terms
of both incidence and mortality” (web).
According to Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, “Performing a chest radiograph
is the first step if a patient reports symptoms that may suggest lung cancer. This may reveal an
obvious mass, widening of the mediastinum (suggestive of spread to lymph nodes there),
atelectasis (collapse), consolidation (pneumonia), or pleural effusion. If there are no radiographic
findings but the suspicion is high (such as a heavy smoker with blood-stained sputum),
bronchoscopy and/or a CT scan may provide the necessary information. Bronchoscopy or CTguided biopsy is often used to identify the tumor type” (Fauci, Braunwald, Kasper, Hauser,
Longo, Jameson, and Loscalzo). To get to the bottom of whether or not lung cancer is present a
sample of the lung tissue is sent to a pathologist to study under the microscope and make the
final diagnosis.
According to Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine, “The main causes of any cancer include
carcinogens (such as those in tobacco smoke), ionizing radiation, and viral infection. This
exposure causes cumulative changes to the DNA in the tissue lining the bronchi of the lungs (the
bronchial epithelium). As more tissue becomes damaged, eventually a cancer develops.” (Bast,
Holland, and Frei ) Smoking cigarettes is by far the main contributor to lung cancer. Cigarette
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smoke contains over 60 known carcinogens. According to the Oxford University Press, “Across
the developed world, 91% of lung cancer deaths in men during the year 2000 were attributed to
smoking (71% for women)” (Peto). Another leading cause of lung cancer is radon gas, which is a
colorless and odorless gas generated by the breakdown of radioactive radium, which in turn is
the decay product of uranium, found in the Earth’s crust. Other leading causes of lung cancer
include asbestos, viruses, and particulate matter.
Prevention is the most cost-effective means of fighting lung cancer. In most countries
carcinogens have been identified and banned, although tobacco smoking is still extremely
prevalent. Eliminating tobacco smoking is a focus in the fight to prevent lung cancer. In an effort
to reduce smoking tobacco some policy interventions to stop smoking in public areas such as
restaurants and workplaces have become common in many Western countries. A total ban on
smoking tobacco would yield many problems. A ban on tobacco would bring a huge influx of
smuggling, not to mention the fact that enforcement would be nearly impossible.
Treatment for lung cancer depends on the cancer's specific cell type, how far it has
spread, and the patient's performance status. Common treatments include palliative care, surgery,
chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Palliative care is an area of healthcare that focuses on
relieving and preventing the suffering of patients. If blood tests and pulmonary function testing
confirms that a patient is well enough to be operated on, surgery man be a viable option. In most
cases the surgery will consist of the removal of a lobe of the lung. When patients are not eligible
for surgery sometimes radiotherapy is given together with chemotherapy, and may be used with
curative intent. Recent improvements in targeting and imaging have led to the development of
stereotactic radiation in the treatment of early-stage lung cancer. In this form of radiotherapy,
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high doses are delivered in a small number of sessions using stereotactic targeting techniques.
Chemotherapy treatments are widely diverse due to the tumor type. Each regimen is different.
Lung cancer was first classified as a disease is 1761. Since then modern science has
recognized the causes and how grim the effects of lung cancer can be. As a result, in 1964 the
Surgeon General of the United States recommended that smokers should stop smoking. There
may be treatment for lung cancer, but at the end of the day the most cost-effective and intelligent
choice is to prevent by abstaining from smoking tobacco. Up until the 1970’s there was no
successful chemotherapy regimen. As far as I can tell there is not concise cure for lung cancer
that can be developed in the future. Lung cancer is a malicious disease that should be eradicated
by mere common sense. Tobacco should be banned and people should be more educated on
carcinogens and the effects it has on the lungs.
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Works Cited
Cancer. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr 2012. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cancer?s=t>.
Fauci, A. S., E. Braunwald, D. L. Kasper, S. L. Hauser, D. L. Longo, J. L. Jameson, and J.
Loscalzo. Harrison\'s principles of internal medicine. 17. McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008.
. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr 2012. <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.25516/full>.
Bast, R. C., J. F. Holland, and E. Frei. Cancer medicine 5. Pmph Bc Decker, 2000.
Peto, R.. "Mortality from smiking in developed countries." . N.p., 2006. Web. 24 Apr 2012.
<http://www.ctsu.ox.ac.uk/~tobacco/>.
Works Consulted
"Cancer." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 19 Apr. 2012.
Web. 24 Apr. 2012
"Lung cancer." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 Apr.
2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.