Lung Cancer Therapy – Some Quick facts

Before we talk about Lung Cancer Therapy let us understand what this type of cancer is all about. Tissues of the cells in the air passages of the lungs are the general target of lung cancer.  There are two main types of cancers of the lung -small cell and non-small cell. There are an estimated 220 million new cases of reported lung cancer annually with an approximate 160,000 deaths resulting from it.  Smokers, both male and female, are 10-20 times more likely to get this type of cancer.  Among both, it is the second most common type of cancer, with more than 2 million tobacco-related cancers diagnosed during 1999 – 2004. Fortunately, early diagnosis can help eliminate the disease through Lung Cancer Therapy and several other treatments.

Manufacturers of cigarettes are allowed to put additives in their product – a list of close to 600 possible ingredients. When burning and/or burned, the smoke of a cigarette contains some 4000 plus chemicals, and at least 40 of those are known carcinogens (cancer causing agent or substance). Some developing countries have shown a decrease in lung cancer due to education about the dangers of smoking. Still, it remains the most common cancer in men worldwide.  The most common cause why people need Lung Cancer Therapy is cigarette smoking.

There are very few symptoms in the early stages of lung cancer.  The cells are invaded and taken over by malignancy and the tumors develop, grow aggressively and spread (metastasis) to other tissues of the body.  More often than not, this takes place before a person realizes there is something wrong.  Lung cancer is life-threatening and one of the most difficult types of cancers to treat. However, with new advancements in medical science research Lung Cancer Therapy is also improving.

Of the most common pulmonary tumor healing and treatment, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are the two lung cancer therapy options that do not involve surgery.  Chemotherapy involves the administration of a combination of medication/chemicals that aggressively attacks the cancer.

Two recent therapies targeted for specific lung cancers have given new hope to those who suffer this often fatal disease. Two drugs, still in trial, have been found to be most effective in speeding up the death of cancer cells when used together.

Also, there is a $3 million machine that can burn a cancerous lesion with a dose of radiation accurate to within 1 millimeter.  Though radiation therapy has been used for years this new effort focusing a specific and minute target is a major breakthrough that does not damage healthy tissue.  One such type of treatment used a device nicknamed the ‘gamma gun’ that could focus up to 201 radiation beams at a single spot.

Another device that has been acclaimed as effective as the gamma knife, bought in 2006 and called the Trilogy, can treat cancerous, as well as, benign tumors and abnormal blood vessels in the brain.  It can also treat tumors in the spine, liver and pancreas, as well as the lung which is great news for those who just a few years had so little hope. Hence, if one Lung Cancer Treatment does not work for you, you have several other alternatives to go for.