Lung Cancer is a type of cancer that “forms in the tissues of the lungs.” While predominantly being found in the cells that line the air passages of the lungs, it remains the most common cause of cancer deaths for men and women all throughout the world! This cancer is mainly found in the elderly population, making up seventy percent of people that are diagnosed with Lung Cancer being over the age of sixty-five. Less than three percent of the diagnosed Lung Cancers are found in people under the age of forty-five. Smoking is the main contributing factor of Lung Cancer as it severely damages the cells of the lungs. Eight out of ten people who are diagnosed with lung cancer also report having a history of …show more content…
The two types of Lung Cancer include Small Cell and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) is cancer that stays in the chest, where it began. The cancer cells associated with SCLC look very minute under a microscope. One out of eight people have SCLC. It is mostly caused by smoking and it is very uncommon to have someone who has never smoked to develop SCLC. There are two stages for Small Cell Lung Cancer, the Limited Stage and the Extensive Stage. The Limited Stage simply means that the cancer is only found on one side of the chest. The Extensive Stage means that the cancer is found in the lung and in the tissues on the other side of the …show more content…
If the cells of NSCLC are compared to that of the SCLC, they will appear much larger. Seven out of eight people who have been diagnosed with Lung Cancer have this kind of Lung Cancer. This cancer does not grow or spread as fast as Small Cell Lung Cancer. There are four main stages in NSCLC. In Stage I, the early-stage, the cancer is found only in the lung and the tumor is no more than five centimeters. If Lung Cancer is found at this stage, chances of overcoming the cancer are much higher than that of the other stages. In Stage II, the cancer is found in the chest. The cancer is now larger and has spread to the innermost membrane that covers the lung. In Stage III, the cancer is still located in the chest. The tumors may be any size now and are more malignant with chances of spreading throughout the body. Cancer cells are now spreading to the lymph nodes on either sides of the chest or the neck. The tumor could now be invading certain organs like the heart, esophagus, or the trachea. In Stage IV, the cancer has spread from the chest to other parts of the body. Infectious and dangerous tumors are now in both lungs. These infections are very hard to control at this point. Examples of other parts of the body that the cancer could spread to at this point could include the brain, bones, liver, and adrenal