Lung Cancer Information
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What is Lung Cancer
The lungs, which lie above the diaphragm and under the rib cage, make up one of the largest organs in the body. When you breathe your lungs take carbon dioxide from the bloodstream and exchange it for oxygen. Infections and diseases, including cancer, interfere with this vital process and can make breathing harder.
Lung cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer among both men and women. Smoking significantly increases a person’s chance of developing the disease.
According to the National Cancer Institute, one out of every 14 Americans will be diagnosed with lung or airway cancer in their lifetime. In 2008, there were more than 215,000 new cases of lung cancer.
Though lung cancer can limit your ability to perform everyday activities, Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) offers innovative treatment options with the goal of minimally disrupting your lifestyle.
At CTCA, you will experience whole-person care at its finest. You will be assigned to a care team comprised of expert oncologists alongside clinicians from a variety of disciplines. During the treatment process, our naturopathic clinicians, nutritionists, and pain management team strive to keep you healthy and active. These complementary medicine therapies can help support you as you undergo conventional lung cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery.
Lung Cancer Types
There are two types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancers (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC).
Non-small cell lung cancers comprise more than 80 percent of lung cancers and typically spread slowly. There are three types of NSCLC:
- Adenocarcinoma – originates in the mucus-producing glands within the lungs.
- Squamous cell carcinoma – originates in the bronchial tube lining.
- Large cell carcinoma – originates near the surface of the lungs and is the most aggressive form of non-small cell lung cancer.
Small cell lung cancer begins in the lung tissue. Unlike most non-small cell lung cancer, it often spreads quickly, yet only accounts for less than 20 percent of lung cancers. Small cell lung cancer may present different symptoms and may require a different treatment regimen than non-small cell lung cancer.
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