- According to the Center for Disease Control, lung cancer claims the lives of more men and women than any other cancer in the United States. On average, lung cancer kills more than 160,000 people each year. Another 200,000 on average are diagnosed with the disease every year. Few patients live past their third year after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
- Lung cancer usually starts with a behavior that creates a risk of developing a tumor in the lung. The most common cause of lung cancer are the toxins inhaled with cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products. Toxins can also be inhaled naturally through the environment, such as with radon gas.
- Lung cancer usually starts in the cells that line the lungs that make up the bronchi. Once cancer-causing substances are inhaled into the body, they come into contact with the cells inside the lungs. Many of these cells are able to withstand being influenced by the toxins. However, others, such as the cells of the bronchi, become affected by the toxins. Once affected, the cells' growth cycles are changed. Most every cell in the body divides to grow and replace other cells that make up the tissues of our body. Once a cell is affected by a cancer-causing toxin, the cell's growth rate is increased dramatically. This causes the cell to grow out of control.
- Once the cells begin to divide at a massive rate, they begin to form a tumor. The tumor then makes chemicals that cause blood vessels to form around it. These vessels connect to the tumor and help feed it so that it can continue to grow. This is the point at which lung cancer can be diagnosed.
- Once the tumor has made its home in your lungs, small parts of it can begin to break off. These cells enter the blood stream or lymph vessels and transplant themselves in other areas and organs of the body. Here they will begin the cell multiplication process again, form new blood vessels, and begin to grow into additional tumors. This is called metastasis. This can cause the development of tumors throughout the entire body, including the heart and brain.
