About Lung Cancer Information
LUNG CANCER InformationCancer of the lung is the leading cancer killer in Singapore. One of the main reasons is that many cases present late. It causes one out of every five cancer deaths and affects mainly middle aged and elderly patients. Smoking is the main cause - death rate of smokers is 10 times that of nonsmokers. 80% of lung cancers are caused by smoking, and there may be a role of passive smoking in the remaining 20%.
Lung cancer can largely be prevented if cigarette smoking can be reduced or stopped altogether. It is the duty of each member of the public to educate family and friends who are still smoking to quit the habit for the sake of them and their families, especially in view of the data on second hand smoke.
Common Signs and Symptoms:
Lung cancer may be picked up in an asymptomatic patient who has undergone routine health screening with a chest X ray. Otherwise, the most common presenting symptoms include:
* Chronic cough.
* Blood in sputum.
* Chest pain.
* Shortness of breath.
* Hoarse voice.
* Loss of weight and/or appetite.
However, the presence of these symptoms does not confirm lung cancer, as other causes like chest infections may have the same symptoms too.
Diagnosis of Lung Cancer
If a patient is suspected of having lung cancer, a lung specialist or a thoracic surgeon will evaluate him. Apart from the history and physical examination, chest X rays and CT scans are performed. Often, a biopsy is done to confirm the cancer, and the procedure performed is either of the following:
Bronchoscopy - A small, lighted flexible tube is inserted into the nose down the windpipe to obtain some tissue for examination. The 20-minute procedure is done under mild sedation and does not require admission.
Needle aspiration - A fine needle is passed through the chest under local anesthesia into the tumour to remove a tissue sample. It may require an overnight admission after the procedure.
Treatment Options Lung Cancer
The treatment of lung cancer depends on the type of lung cancer, size, location, extent of the tumour and the general health of the patient.
Surgery is the best option of cure for non small cell lung cancer if the tumour can be removed and the operation performed safely. After surgery, most patients should undergo further treatment with Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy or both. This is called adjuvant therapy, and its main aim is to prevent further relapses of the cancer. It is now standard therapy. There are now several targeted therapies which are showing responses in advanced lung cancer patients: Traceva, Iressa, Avastin. These drugs have the potential to revolutionize therapy as they are not chemotherapy drugs, and therefore have hardly any toxicity. However, chemotherapy drugs are still used either before or in conjunction with these new targeted therapies.
Read more about Chemotherapy >>
Lung cancer can largely be prevented if cigarette smoking can be reduced or stopped altogether. It is the duty of each member of the public to educate family and friends who are still smoking to quit the habit for the sake of them and their families, especially in view of the data on second hand smoke.
Common Signs and Symptoms:
Lung cancer may be picked up in an asymptomatic patient who has undergone routine health screening with a chest X ray. Otherwise, the most common presenting symptoms include:
* Chronic cough.
* Blood in sputum.
* Chest pain.
* Shortness of breath.
* Hoarse voice.
* Loss of weight and/or appetite.
However, the presence of these symptoms does not confirm lung cancer, as other causes like chest infections may have the same symptoms too.
Diagnosis of Lung Cancer
If a patient is suspected of having lung cancer, a lung specialist or a thoracic surgeon will evaluate him. Apart from the history and physical examination, chest X rays and CT scans are performed. Often, a biopsy is done to confirm the cancer, and the procedure performed is either of the following:
Bronchoscopy - A small, lighted flexible tube is inserted into the nose down the windpipe to obtain some tissue for examination. The 20-minute procedure is done under mild sedation and does not require admission.
Needle aspiration - A fine needle is passed through the chest under local anesthesia into the tumour to remove a tissue sample. It may require an overnight admission after the procedure.
Treatment Options Lung Cancer
The treatment of lung cancer depends on the type of lung cancer, size, location, extent of the tumour and the general health of the patient.
Surgery is the best option of cure for non small cell lung cancer if the tumour can be removed and the operation performed safely. After surgery, most patients should undergo further treatment with Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy or both. This is called adjuvant therapy, and its main aim is to prevent further relapses of the cancer. It is now standard therapy. There are now several targeted therapies which are showing responses in advanced lung cancer patients: Traceva, Iressa, Avastin. These drugs have the potential to revolutionize therapy as they are not chemotherapy drugs, and therefore have hardly any toxicity. However, chemotherapy drugs are still used either before or in conjunction with these new targeted therapies.
Read more about Chemotherapy >>
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