What Does Lung Cancer Do?
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Symptoms
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Healthy lungs have five lobes, three on the right lung and two lobes on the left lung. The lungs and chest are covered with a lining called the pleura, which contains pleural fluid between its layers. As long as lungs are healthy, this liquid does not accumulate. Lung cancer can develop in the bronchial tubes, in the mucus producing glands, near the air sacs, or even on the lungs' surface. Although lung cancer can go undetected for some time, the first symptoms to appear are an intense, persistent cough, changes in color or the amount of sputum that is produced, and coughing up mucus or phlegm that may be spotted with blood. Pain in the chest area, shoulders and back when not coughing may also occur, or raspy breathing and recurring respiratory conditions such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Lung cancer can also manifest itself in other parts of the body.
Lung Cancer Progression
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A person with lung cancer may also feel fatigue, lose weight unexpectedly or suffer headaches. Other neurological symptoms include walking difficulties or memory impairment. As lung cancer progresses, the pain worsens; therefore cancer treatment includes pain management techniques. Patients with lung cancer have breathing problems and may need to receive oxygen therapy. Fluids continue to build up within the lungs, which need to be drained periodically by a doctor. Some patients are able to successfully prevent fluid accumulation through a medical procedure and others have chest tubes to ensure that the lungs stay clear of fluids. As cancer metastasizes, it can spread to the brain, bones or other organs. Some doctors will recommend radiation therapy to stop the cancer's progression.
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Stages of Lung Cancer
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The two types of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer, have distinct phases, or stages. Small cell lung cancer is either considered to be in the limited stage, with a tumor found in one lung and lymph nodes, or in the extensive stage, where more than one lung is affected as well as other organs. Non-small cell lung cancer is broken down into five stages. During the first stage, a tumor is only found in one lung. Stage II is when the nearby lymph nodes are also affected. Stage III is divided between a and b. Stage III a is when the cancer has spread to lymph nodes outside the lung, or to the trachea or chest wall on the same side where the original tumor was discovered. The second phase of stage III is when the tumors start to affect the other lung or appear in the neck. Stage IV lung cancer is the point where the cancerous tumor or tumors have spread to other parts of the lungs or the body. Doctors treat all stages of lung cancer, and recommend treating the accompanying pain and depression that comes with cancer. Support groups are also available for the patient and for the patient's family.
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