Definition: Lung Cancer
Lung cancer, also known as carcinoma of the lung or pulmonary carcinoma, is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. It is a leading cause of cancer death in men and women in the United States.Main Document
Defining Lung CancerLung Cancer is caused by the abnormal growth of cells in a person's lungs, resulting in a malignant tumor. Malignant tumors of this type can, 'Metastasize,' or spread throughout the person's body through their bloodstream or lymphatic system. Lung cancer is very life-threatening because it has a tendency to metastasize early in its course, and is one of the most difficult forms of cancer to treat. Lung cancer has the ability to spread to any organ in the body, although some organs are more commonly affected; such as the liver, brain, and adrenal glands. Lung cancer commonly affects the person's bones as well.
Other forms of cancer can metastasize to the lungs from other parts of the body. Tumors comprised of the same form of cells as the original tumor from another form of cancer such as Prostate Cancer can spread through the bloodstream to the lungs. Should this occur, it is metastatic Prostate Cancer in the lung, not Lung Cancer.
The lung's primary function is the exchange of gases between the air a person breathes and the blood in their body. The lungs remove carbon dioxide from their bloodstream. The lungs, 'inspire,' oxygen from the air a person breathes into their bloodstream. A person's right lung has three lobes. Their left lung has two of these lobes and a small structure called the, 'Lingula.' There are major airways that enter the lungs called the, 'Bronchi,' that arise from the person's, 'Trachea.' The Bronchi branch into smaller and smaller airways that are referred to as, 'Bronchioles,' ending in very small sacs called, 'Alveoli.' The Alveoli are where the exchange of gases occurs in the persons lungs. A person's chest wall and the lungs themselves are covered with a very thin layer of tissue referred to as the, 'Pleura.'
Ninety to ninety-five percent of lung cancers are believed to begin in the lining cells of the Bronchi and Bronchioles; although Lung Cancer can begin anywhere in a person's lungs. Because of this, Lung Cancer is referred to as, 'Bronchogenic Cancer, or , 'Bronchogenic Cancinoma,' on occasion. There is a potential for cancer to begin from the Pleura, which is called, 'Mesothelioma,' or on rare occasion, from the supporting tissues within the person's lungs such as their blood vessels.
Incidence of Lung Cancer
Lung Cancer has surpassed Breast Cancer as the cause of the most cancer-related deaths among women in America. Lung Cancer is the form of cancer that has caused the most deaths in both men and women throughout the entire world. The American Cancer Society estimated that 215,000+ new cases of Lung Cancer were diagnosed, and 161,840 deaths caused by Lung Cancer occurred in 2008. The United States National Cancer Institute has stated that about 1 in every 14 men and women in America will face a diagnosis of Lung Cancer at some point in their life.
Lung Cancer is largely a disease found in persons who are Seniors. Nearly seventy-percent of persons who are diagnosed with Lung Cancer are over the age of sixty-five; less than three-percent of persons with this diagnosis are persons under the age of forty-five. Lung Cancer itself was uncommon before the 1930's, but increased dramatically in the years afterward due to an increase in smoking.
Causes of Lung Cancer
Smoking
Tobacco smoke contains more than four-thousand chemical compounds. Many of these compounds have been demonstrated to cause cancer and are referred to as, 'Carcinogenic.' There are two main Carcinogens in tobacco smoke; they are chemicals known as, 'Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons,' and, 'Nitrosamines.' A person's risk of developing Lung Cancer decreases every year after they have quit smoking as healthy cells begin to grow and replace cells that have been damaged in their lungs. After approximately fifteen years of not smoking, the risk of developing Lung Cancer in former smokers approaches that of a non-smoker.
Lung Cancer is very strongly tied to cigarette smoking. Ninety-percent of Lung Cancers begin as a result of using tobacco, and the risk of Lung Cancer increases with the number of cigarettes a person smokes over time. Doctors rate a person's risk for Lung Cancer in terms of, 'Pack-Years.' For example; if a person has smoke two packs of cigarettes each day for ten years, they are considered to have a twenty, 'Pack-Year,' smoking history. The risk of Lung Cancer is increased with a ten, 'Pack-Year,' history, and persons with a thirty, 'Pack-Year,' history are considered to be at greatest risk for developing Lung Cancer. Out of persons who smoke two or more packs of cigarettes each day, approximately one out of seven of them will die from Lung Cancer.
Cigar and Pipe smokers may develop Lung Cancer as well, although the risk is not as great as it is for persons who smoke cigarettes. Persons who smoke cigarettes have a risk of developing Lung Cancer that is twenty-five times greater than a non-smoker. People who smoke cigars or a pipe have a risk of Lung Cancer that is five-times greater than a non-smoker.
Passive Smoking
Passive Smoking involves the inhalation of tobacco smoke from smokers, and is an established risk factor for the development of Lung Cancer. Non-smokers who live with a person who smokes have a twenty-four percent increase in their risk of developing the disease compared to non-smokers who do not live with a smoker. Approximately 3,000 people die each year in America from Lung Cancer that is attributed to passive smoking.
Asbestos Fibers
Asbestos Fibers are silicate fibers, and once in a person's lungs they can stay there for the person's lifetime. Places of work are a common source of exposure to these fibers, where they were used in the past as both acoustic and thermal insulation. Asbestos is either limited or banned entirely in many nations today, to include America. Mesothelioma, as well as other forms of Lung Cancer, has been associated with asbestos exposure. Persons who have been exposed to asbestos fibers and who smoke have a dramatically increased risk of Lung Cancer. Persons who worked with asbestos, but do not smoke, have five-times the risk of developing Lung Cancer. Persons who worked with asbestos and smoke have a fifty to ninety percent increased risk of developing Lung Cancer than a non-smoker.
Radon Gas
Radon Gas is a chemically inert, natural gas which is a natural decay product of uranium; it emits a type of ionizing radiation. Radon gas is known to cause Lung Cancer. Twelve-percent of the deaths from Lung Cancer are attributed to Radon gas, around 15,000 to 22,000 people die from Lung Cancer caused by Radon gas each year in America. Radon gas is the second leading cause of Lung Cancer in America. Radon gas has the ability to travel through soil and into people's homes through gaps in pipes, drains, the foundation of the home or additional openings. The Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that one in fifteen homes in America have dangerous levels of Radon gas, which is odorless and invisible. Radon gas can be detected with easy-to-use test kits.
Family Predisposition
Genetics may play a part in Lung Cancer; a number of studies have shown that Lung Cancer is more likely to develop in both smoking and non-smoking relatives of persons who have experienced Lung Cancer than in person among the general population. There is a region on the long arm of chromosome six that research has found to be likely to carry a gene associated with increased susceptibility for development of Lung Cancer in persons who smoke.
Lung Diseases
Certain lung diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), are associated with an increased risk for developing Lung Cancer. Persons with COPD have a risk of developing Lung Cancer that is four to six times greater than a non-smoker.
A Prior History of Lung Cancer
Persons who have survived Lung Cancer have a greater risk of developing another Lung Cancer. Persons who have survived a, 'Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer,' (NSCLC) have a risk of one to two percent each year of developing another Lung Cancer. Persons who have survived a, 'Small-Cell Lung Cancer,' (SCLC) have a risk approaching six-percent each year of developing another Lung Cancer.
Air Pollution
Air pollution caused by industry, power plants and vehicles of various types raises the likelihood of developing Lung Cancer in persons who are exposed polluted air. Approximately one-percent of the deaths from Lung Cancer are attributed to breathing polluted air. Prolonged exposure to air pollution may carry risks for developing Lung Cancer which are similar to Passive Smoking; according to experts.
Types of Lung Cancer
Lung Cancers are divided into two classifications based on the type of tumor cells. The two types of cancers grow and spread differently. They have different treatments, and distinguishing between them is important.
Small-Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) exists in approximately twenty-percent of persons with Lung Cancer. SCLC is the most aggressive and rapidly-growing form of Lung Cancer, and is very strongly related to cigarette smoking. SCLC only occurs in non-smokers one-percent of the time. SCLC metastasizes very quickly to other sites in the person's body, and by the time it is discovered it may have already spread extensively. SCLC is sometimes referred to as, 'Oat-Cell Carcinoma,' due to its appearance under a microscope.
Non-Small Cell Carcinomas (NSCLC's) are the more common form of Lung Cancer. Approximately eighty-percent of Lung Cancers are NSCLC's. There are three main types of NSCLC's, named according to the types of cells which are found in the tumors.
Adenocarcinomas: The most common type of NSCLC in America is Adenocarcinoma, comprising approximately fifty-percent of Lung Cancers. Adenocarcinomas are associated with smoking, although non-smokers who develop Lung Cancer also develop Adenocarcinomas.
Squamous Cell Carcinomas: Squamous Cell Carcinomas account for approximately thirty-percent of NSCLC's, and used to be more common than Adenocarcinomas. Squamous Cell cancers usually arise in a person's Bronchi.
Large Cell Carcinomas: Large Cell Carcinomas are the least common form of NSCLC. They are referred to as, 'Undifferentiated Carcinomas,' at times.
Mixed NSCLSC: Sometimes, mixtures of different types of NSCLC's occur.
Five to ten-percent of Lung Cancers consist of, 'Other Types,' of cancers which are less common than NSCLC's and SCLC's.
Bronchial Carcinoids: Five-percent of Lung Cancers are Bronchial Carcinoids, consisting of tumors which are generally small; three to four centimeters or less in size when the person is diagnosed. These tumors usually occur in persons who are under forty years of age and are not related to cigarette smoking. Carcinoid tumors may metastasize. A small number of carcinoid tumors secrete substances which are hormone-like, potentially causing symptoms that are related to the hormone being produced. Carcinoids usually both grow and spread slower than Bronchogenic forms of cancer. Fortunately, Carcinoids are often times detected early, and are able to be surgically removed.
Supporting Lung Tissue Cancer: Cancer of the supporting tissues of the lungs, such as blood vessels, or the smooth muscles, or cells involved in the person's immune response may occur on rare occasion.
Metastatic Cancers: Metastatic cancers from other tumors in a person's body, attributed to another from of cancer, can often be found in their lungs. Through the bloodstream, tumors from anywhere in a person's body can spread to their lungs, as well as through their lymphatic system. Metastatic tumors in the lungs are many times multiple, as well as being concentrated in the person's peripheral areas in the lungs rather than in the central areas.
Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer
The symptoms a person will experience related to Lung Cancer vary depending on where the tumor is, and how widespread it is as well. Persons with Lung Cancer may experience a number of different symptoms, or none at all.
No Symptoms: Twenty-five percent of persons with Lung Cancer discover it through a routine chest X-ray or CT scan, presented as a solitary, small mass which is sometimes referred to as a, 'Coin Lesion.' They may report experiencing no symptoms at all when their cancer is discovered.
Cancer-Related Symptoms: Cancer growth, as well as invasion of the person's lung tissues and surrounding tissues, can interfere with their breathing. This can present symptoms including coughing, wheezing, chest pain, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood or, 'Hemoptysis.' There is a syndrome known as, 'Pancoast's Syndrome,' which involves cancer that has invaded nerves, causing shoulder pain which travels down the outside of the person's arm. The person may experience paralysis of their vocal cords that leads to hoarseness. They may experience, 'Dysphagia,' or difficulty swallowing due to an invasion of their Esophagus. If the person experiences a large airway obstruction, a portion of their lung may collapse and an infection could occur in the obstructed area.
Metastasis Symptoms: Lung Cancer which has spread to a person's bones can cause excruciating pain in the areas affected. If Lung Cancer has metastasized to the person's brain they may experience various Neurological symptoms including headaches, seizures, blurry vision, or even symptoms of a stroke including loss of sensation in parts of their body, or weakness.
Paraneoplastic Symptoms: Persons with Lung Cancer commonly experience symptoms due to production of hormone-like substances from tumor cells referred to as, 'Paraneoplastic Symptoms.' The syndromes are commonly associated with SCLC, although they may be found with any type of tumor. One of the more common Paraneoplastic Symptoms associated with SCLC is the production of a hormone called, 'Adrenocroticotrophic Hormone,' or, 'ACTH.' ACTH leads to over-secretion of a hormone called, 'Cortisol,' by the person's Adrenal Glands; a condition referred to as, 'Cushing's Syndrome.'
Non-Specific Symptoms: There are some, 'Non-Specific,' symptoms a person may experience in association with Lung Cancer. These symptoms include weakness, fatigue, weight loss, mood changes, and depression.
Reasons to Contact Your Doctor: A person should contact their Doctor or other health care provider if they have a persistent cough, or a chronic cough that has grown worse. The should also do so if they have blood in their sputum, persistent bronchitis, a repetitious respiratory infection, chest pain, unexplained weight loss or fatigue, breathing difficulty, shortness of breath, or wheezing.
Diagnosing Lung Cancer
There are a number of tests and diagnostic procedures used to diagnose lung cancer, including:
The Persons Physical Examination and History: These may reveal signs and symptoms of Lung Cancer, as well as identifying risks the person may have for Lung Cancer. Health care providers identify risks such as smoking, check for breathing difficulties, infection in the person's lungs, and any airway obstructions. They look for an sign of Cyanosis; a bluish color of the person's mucous membranes and skin caused by a lack of oxygen in their blood. The health care provider looks for changes in the tissues in the person's nail beds, which may indicate lung disease.
Chest X-ray: A chest X-ray is commonly the first diagnostic step when a new symptom of Lung Cancer is present. A chest X-ray can reveal any suspicious areas in the person's lungs, but it is unable to tell if they are cancerous. There are benign tumors known as, 'Harmatomas,' that can show up on a chest X-ray that mimic Lung Cancer.
CT Scan: A CT Scan is something that might be ordered if an X-ray does not show an abnormality, or provide enough information. Sometimes an intravenous contrast material is given before the CT Scan is done to help define the person's organs and their positions.
Low-Dose Helical CT Scan: A Low-Dose Helical CT Scan requires a special CT Scanner, and is an effective tool used for identification of small lung cancers in both smokers and ex-smokers.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): MRI scanners may be used to provide precision details concerning the location of a tumor when needed. MRI scanners use radio waves, magnetism, and a computer to create images of the person's body structures.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET): PET scanners use short-lived radioactive drugs along with colorful, three-dimensional images of tissues in the person's body to observe the person's anatomical structures. PET scanners are able to measure the metabolic activity and function of tissues, and help to determine if a tumor is actively growing. PET scanners can help to determine the type of cells within a particular tumor.
Bone Scans: Bone Scans create images of a person's bones on a computer screen, or on film to help determine if Lung Cancer has metastasized the their bones. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into the person's bloodstream, where it collects in their bones; particularly around areas involved in metastatic tumors. The material is detected by a scanner; the image is recorded on a special film, and is available to the person's health care worker.
Sputum Cytology: The most inexpensive and risk-free diagnostic procedure involves collection of a sample of the person's sputum. It is also something a Pathologist will require for confirmation of malignant cells.
Bronchoscopy: Bronchoscopy involves viewing the person's airways through a thin, fiber-optic probe which is inserted through either their nose or mouth. A Bronchoscopy can show areas of the person's central areas in their lungs or larger airways that may have a tumor, and allow a health care worker to collect a sample or, 'Biopsy.' The person is usually sedated or under anesthesia for this procedure, which can be uncomfortable, and must be performed by a Lung Specialist.
Needle Biopsy: A Needle Biopsy involves, 'Fine Needle Aspiration,' or ,'FNA,' through the person's skin, often with radiological imaging guidance. Needle Biopsy can be useful in obtaining cells used in diagnosing tumor nodules in the person's lungs, especially when a tumor is not accessible through Bronchoscopy. The person is given a local anesthetic and a thin needle is inserted through their chest wall in the area of their lung where the tumor is located. Cells from the tumor are pulled into the syringe, and then examined under a microscope.
Thoracentesis: Lung Cancers may involve the Pleura, or lining tissue of the lungs, leading to accumulation of fluid between the person's lungs and their chest wall. Using a thin needle to collect a sample of this fluid, called a, 'Thoracentesis,' can reveal cancer cells in order to establish a diagnosis.
Major Surgery: Doctors will attempt other procedures first, but if none of the procedures mentioned present a diagnosis, surgical methods may be used to obtain tumor tissue in order to reach a diagnosis. One of the surgical procedures used is called a, 'Mediastinoscopy,' and involves surgically inserting a probe in order to biopsy a tumor. Another is referred to as a, 'Thoracotomy,' and involves opening the person's chest wall in order to either biopsy or remove a tumor.
Blood Testing: Blood tests by themselves cannot reach a diagnosis of Lung cancer. Blood testing can show either metabolic or biochemical abnormalities in a person's body which accompany cancer. Elevated levels of either Calcium or an enzyme called, 'Alkaline Phosphatase,' can accompany cancer that has metastasized to the person's bones. Elevated levels of enzymes such as, 'Aspartate Aminotransferase,' and, 'Alanine Aminotrasferase,' may be a sign of liver damage and the potential for the presence of a tumor which has metastasized.
Stages of Lung Cancer
Staging of Lung Cancer involves evaluation of the size of the cancer, as well as the presence or absence of metastases in the person's lymph nodes or other organs. Staging determines the treatment the person will receive, and in estimating their prognosis.
NSLC: NSLC Lung Cancers are assigned Stages One through Four in order of severity.
- Stage One: The cancer is confined to the person's lung.
- Stages Two and Three: the cancer is confined to the person's chest, with larger and more invasive tumors classified in stage Three.
- Stage Four: Stage Four Lung Cancer has metastasized from the person's chest into other areas of their body.
- Tier One: Limited-stage SCLC refers to Lung Cancer that is confined to its original area in the person's chest.
- Tier Two: Extensive-stage SCLC refers to Lung Cancer that has metastasized beyond the person's chest into other areas of the person's body.
Treatment of Lung Cancer may involve Radiation Therapy, Chemotherapy, Surgical Removal of the tumor, or a combination of these forms of treatment. Location of the tumor, the tumor's extent, and the overall health of the person are all taken into account when considering which form or forms of treatment are appropriate for them. Treatment may be aimed at either curing the cancer, or at reducing the person's pain and suffering. 'Adjuvant Therapy,' a form of therapy which is added in order to enhance the effects of primary therapy, includes Chemotherapy or Radiation Therapy, and may be used after a tumor is surgically removed to ensure that all tumor cells are killed.
Surgery: Surgery to remove a tumor is usually performed for persons with Stage One or Stage Two NSCLC. Approximately 10-35% of Lung Cancers may be removed surgically; however, removal of a tumor does not always result in cure of the cancer because tumors may have spread and can recur at a later time. Surgery may not be an option if the tumor is located to closely to the person's Trachea, or if the person has another serious condition. Surgery is performed less often for persons with SCLC because the tumors involved are less likely to be localized to one area.
Radiation:
Radiation therapy can be used to treat both SCLC and NSCLC, and involves using high-energy X-rays and/or other forms of radiation to kill cancer cells. Radiation is delivered externally to the person through the placement of sealed containers which have radioactive substances in them on the area where the tumor is located. 'Brachytherapy,' is a form of Radiation therapy where a small pellet of radioactive material is placed directly into the cancer, or into the person's airway next to the cancer, and is usually applied through a Bronchoscope. External Radiation Therapy can usually be performed on an outpatient basis. A, 'Gamma Knife,' is a form of external Radiation Therapy involving multiple beams of radiation which are focused over a person's head for several minutes to several hours. The person's head is held in place by a rigid frame during this procedure. The, 'Gamma Knife,' is used to treat Single Brain metastases. External Radiation Therapy is usually performed four or five days a week for several weeks.
Side-effects of Radiation Therapy can include a reduction of white blood cells which renders the person more susceptible to infections, as well as low blood platelet levels, making it more difficult for their blood to clot. Persons whose organs are being treated with Radiation Therapy may experience diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Radiation Therapy may irritate the person's skin in the area where the treatment is being applied, but the skin tends to improve over time after treatments have ended.
Chemotherapy:
SCLC and NSCLC can both potentially be treated with Chemotherapy, which refers to the administration of medications designed to cease cancer cell growth by killing them or prevention of cancer cell division. Platinum-based Chemotherapy drugs have shown to be the most effective in treating Lung Cancer, although there are a number of Chemotherapeutic drugs. The treatment chosen most often for persons with SCLC is Chemotherapy because the tumors associated with SCLC are generally spread throughout the person's body when they are diagnosed. Approximately half of persons with SCLC survive for four months without Chemotherapy. With the use of Chemotherapy, their survival rate increases four to five times. Chemotherapy is not exceptionally effective in persons with NSCLC unless it has metastasized; then it can increase their survival rate.
Chemotherapy can be administered orally, intravenously, or in a combination of these ways. Chemotherapy is usually given on an outpatient basis in a series of treatments over a period of weeks to months. The side-effects of Chemotherapy can be unpleasant, and may include damage to blood cells resulting in increased risk of infection, difficulty clotting, bruising or bleeding easily, and fatigue. Other potential side-effects include hair loss, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, mouth sores and diarrhea. There are medications that have been developed to treat or prevent side-effects of Chemotherapy treatment, and the side-effects usually disappear during the person's recovery phase, or after completion of treatments.
Brain Prophylactic Radiation:
Many times, SCLC will spread to the person's brain. Persons with SCLC who are responding well to treatment are sometimes treated with Radiation Therapy to their head. This form of therapy may cause fatigue, memory problems, nausea, and additional side-effects.
Treatment of Lung Cancer Recurrence
Persons who experience a recurrence of Lung Cancer that is confined to one place in the lung might be treated through surgery. Relapsed tumors usually do not respond to the same Chemotherapy drugs that were used previously. There is a type of Chemotherapy that is referred to as, 'Second-line,' Chemotherapy which has proven to be effective at prolonging the survival of persons with a recurrence of Lung Cancer. Persons who are well enough to tolerate therapy may be candidates for experimental therapies or clinical trials.
Targeted Therapy:
There is a drug called, 'Erlotinib,' that is an alternative to standard Chemotherapy. Erlotinib can be used in persons with NSCLC who no longer respond to Chemotherapy; Erlotinib is taken orally, and is referred to as a, 'Targeted Drug,' because it specifically targets cancer cells. There are other drugs known as, 'Antiangiogenesis Drugs,' that block the development of new blood vessels within a cancer, removing the oxygen supply to it, and causing it to die. An example of these drugs includes, 'Bevacizumab,' which is administered intravenously every two or three weeks.
Photodynamic Therapy (PDT):
PDT is used for various types and stages of Lung Cancer, and involves using a photosynthesizing agent like porphyrin which is injected into the person's bloodstream a few hours before surgery. The agent deposits itself in rapidly growing cancer cells, and a physician uses a light with a specific wavelength during surgery that activates the agent, producing a toxin that destroys cells in the tumor. PDT is useful only in treatment of cancers that can be reached with a light source.
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA):
RFA is under study as an alternative to surgery, notably in persons with early stage Lung Cancer. RFA involves using a needle which is inserted through the person's skin into the cancer, guided by a CT Scanner. Radio frequencies are transmitted through the needle, heating the tissues around the needle; killing cancerous tissue and closing off small blood vessels that supply the cancer.
Experimental Therapies:
Persons with Lung Cancer may be offered a number of different and new therapies which are still experimental involving new drugs being tested through clinical trials. There are experimental treatments called, 'Immunotherapies,' which are under study involving the use of vaccine-related therapies in an attempt to utilize a person's own immune system to fight against cancerous cells.
Lung Cancer Prognosis
The chance for to either prolong the life of a person with Lung Cancer, or achieve a cure, is dependent upon both the size of the cancer and its location, as well as other things. The type of Lung Cancer the person has, the symptoms they are experiencing, and their overall health also have bearing on their prognosis.
SCLC presents the most aggressive growth among all forms of Lung Cancer. Untreated, persons with SCLC have a median survival time of two to four months after being diagnosed. SCLC is also the type of Lung Cancer that is most responsive to Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy. Of all persons with SCLC, only 5-10% is still alive five years after being diagnosed, and have survived Limited-Stage SCLC.
NSCLC in Stage One finds cancers that can be completely removed, and the five-year survival rate is approximately 75%. In Advanced Stages, overall survival rates are poor.
Overall, the prognosis for Lung Cancer is poor when compared to other forms of cancer. Overall survival rates for persons with Lung Cancer are approximately 16%. Persons with Colon Cancer have a survival rate of 65%, while persons with Breast Cancer have a survival rate of 89%, and men with Prostate Cancer have a survival rate of 99%.
Common symptoms of lung cancer include:
- Fatigue
- Coughing up blood
- Constant chest pain
- Swelling of the neck and face
- Loss of appetite or weight loss
- Shortness of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness
- Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis
- A cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time
- Diet and lung disease, food selection
Eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and fish keep lungs healthy. Those who follow a diet closest to this " Mediterranean " ideal are less likely as their peers with eating habits furthest from this pattern to develop chronic lung disease. A good amount of fresh vegetable juices are a good way to start healing, along with adding a variety of spices such as ginger, onions, and garlic. The emphasis should be on eating as healthy a diet as possible.
Supplements for lung disease
Since there are many different types of lung disease, it is difficult to say which herbs, vitamins or supplements are helpful for lung health. I think several could be helpful including fish oils since they act as anti-inflammatory agents, acetyl cysteine since it is a potent antioxidant, and perhaps a wide range of carotenoids and flavonoids. I would discourage the use of a high dose of a single carotenoid such as beta carotene. A multivitamin preparation could be helpful such as MultiVit Rx in providing the basic vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy lung tissue. Since ginger, onions, and garlic are helpful, one could take supplements instead for instance Ginger extract.
Probiotics
The physiology and pathology of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts are closely related. This similarity between the two organs may underlie why dysfunction in one organ may induce illness in the other. For example, smoking is a major risk factor for COPD and IBD and increases the risk of developing Crohn's disease. Probiotics regulate innate and inflammatory immune responses. Commonly used probiotics include lactic acid bacteria, particularly Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces, and these are often used as dietary supplements to provide a health benefit in gastrointestinal diseases including infections, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer. In this respect, probiotics influence the immune system and activate host defence pathways which suggest that they could influence disease severity and incidence at sites distal to the gut. There is increasing evidence that orally delivered probiotics are able to regulate immune responses in the respiratory system.
Mediators Inflamm. 2013. Probiotics in the management of lung diseases. Probiotics have been defined as "live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits on the host." In model systems probiotics regulate innate and inflammatory immune responses. Commonly used probiotics include lactic acid bacteria, particularly Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces, and these are often used as dietary supplements to provide a health benefit in gastrointestinal diseases including infections, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer. In this respect, probiotics probably act as immunomodulatory agents and activators of host defence pathways which suggest that they could influence disease severity and incidence at sites distal to the gut. There is increasing evidence that orally delivered probiotics are able to regulate immune responses in the respiratory system.
Q. I have been a social smoker for several years. I have managed to quit and am very concerned about the condition of my lungs. I have gone online to research lung cleansers and have found a number of websites promoting lung cleansing herbs that are effective for smokers. Do you have such a product or an opinion on the matter. A representative from the American Lung Association. said he is very wary about such products. Of course quitting is the best step but if I can cleanse and repair my lungs somehow, that would be awesome!
A. First focus on diet as discussed above. There is little research on the optimal supplements that are useful for lung health. But, in general, any health promoting diet or lifestyle could be helpful for the lungs, too.
Major lung diseases include:
Asthma is common and the incidence is growing.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a chronic lung disease. Women who smoke are at greater risk than male smokers of developing lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Chronic bronchitis
Emphysema is also known as COPD.
Interstitial lung disease - also called interstitial pulmonary fibrosis or pulmonary fibrosis. Interstitial lung disease, or ILD, includes more than 180 chronic lung disease types. Interstitial lung diseases are named for the tissue between the air sacs of the lungs called the interstitium -- the tissue affected by fibrosis (scarring). The common link between the many forms of Interstitial lung disease is that they all begin with an inflammation. More than 80 percent of interstitial lung disease cases are diagnosed as pneumoconiosis, a drug-induced disease, or hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
Pulmonary fibrosis - Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis has a poor prognosis. Perhaps garlic may help.
Mol Cell Biochem. 2014. Diallyl disulfide inhibits proliferation and transdifferentiation of lung fibroblasts through induction of cyclooxygenase and synthesis of prostaglandin E2. Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) are critically involved in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis by inducing the proliferation and transdifferentiation of lung fibroblasts. In the present study, we examined the impact of diallyl disulfide (DADS), a garlic-derived compound, on such pathological conditions. DADS showed profound inhibitory effects on the PDGF-BB-induced proliferation of human and mouse lung fibroblasts. Results suggest that DADS, by inducing COX-2 expression, may have therapeutic potential in treating lung fibrosis.
Sarcoidosis - Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory condition characterized by granulomas (small rounded outgrowths made up of blood vessels, cells and connective tissues) that can produce many different symptoms. Sarcoidosis is a chronic disease lasting for several years or a lifetime. Some people, however, may have a type that only lasts a few months.
Additional Lung Diseases:
Bronchiolitis obliteransinformation is a chronic lung disease where the bronchioles are plugged with granulation tissue.
Pulmonary histiocytosis X is an uncommon interstitial lung disease related to tobacco smoking. It primarily affects young adults.
Black lung disease is an occupational lung disease caused by prolonged inhalation of coal mine dust. Black lung disease is also called silicosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, or black lung.
Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia is a group of diseases of known or unknown etiology characterized by eosinophilic pulmonary infiltrates and, commonly, peripheral blood eosinophilia. Eosinophilic pneumonia is sometimes called the pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophilia (PIE) syndrome.
Restrictive lung disease is not the name of a particular lung disease, rather a term used to denote a chronic lung disorder that causes a decrease in the ability to expand the lung and sometimes makes it harder to get enough oxygen to meet the body's needs. The most common restrictive lung diseases are Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis / interstitial lung disease (including sarcoidosis - granulomatous disorder) and extrapulmonary restrictive lung disease (including scoliosis)>
Lung disease symptom
The most common symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, and wheezing.
Definition of common terms involved with lung disease
* bronchiolitis - inflammation that involves the bronchioles (small airways)
* alveolitis - inflammation that involves the alveoli (air sacs)
* vasculitis - inflammation that involves the small blood vessels (capillaries)
Flying on an airplane with lung disease
People with emphysema and other serious lung diseases can safely travel by airplane. However, they should have approval by their doctor. In a 2007 study of 500 lung disease patients surveyed after a planned a flight, British researchers found that 18 percent suffered some type of respiratory symptom on the plane -- most commonly shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain. However, the symptoms were moderate, and there were no serious incidents requiring an emergency landing. All of the study participants were evaluated by a lung specialist before their flight, and 11 percent of all patients ended up canceling their plans. This was often because their doctor advised against it. In other cases, the need to travel with supplemental oxygen was the obstacle; some patients did not want to do it, while others could not because the airline prohibited it.
Lung Cancer Treatment or Prevention with Supplements
Despite large declines in smoking rates, cigarettes still cause about one-third of cancer deaths in the United States. There are several steps you can take to reduce your chance of developing lung cancer or increasing your odds at improving survival after being diagnosed with lung cancer. Here are some suggestions:
Once people have been diagnosed with lung cancer they might think it pointless to stop smoking, but in fact it's not too late to benefit from quitting. Those who quit smoking after the lung cancer diagnosis became less severely impaired by the lung disease than those who kept up the habit.
Plenty of sunshine and vitamin D may help people with early stage lung cancer survive longer after surgery. Patients who had high levels of vitamin D and had lung cancer surgery in sunny months were more than twice as likely to be alive five years after surgery compared to patients with low levels of vitamin D who had surgery in the winter. Exposure to sunshine is a significant source of vitamin D, which also comes from food and dietary supplements.
Eating cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli and sprouts, protects against the development of lung cancer. A person's genetic makeup may influence these anti-cancer benefits. Eating a variety of vegetables decreases risk.
You must stop smoking, inhaling cigarette smoke, or taking nicotine in any form including nicotine chewing gum. Nicotine can prevent chemotherapy drugs such as Taxol from killing lung cancer cells. This may help explain why lung cancer is so difficult to treat in smokers. Even people who quit smoking but use nicotine supplements, such as patches or gum, may not be helped as much as they should be by cancer therapy.
Supplements for Lung Cancer
Although little human research is available regarding the use of natural supplements and herbs for prevention and treatment, the following show promise. It is possible that the benefits of these supplements or herbs could be additive if combined, but combinations should be done in low dosages to avoid overstimulation.
Arjuna is an Ayurvedic herb.
Astragalus has been tested in combination with platinum for treatment of lung cancer. The results with Astragalus root herb are encouraging.
Berbamine has been studied in vitro.
Curcumin - a dose of 500 mg a day of a combination curcumin and Turmeric.
Carotenoids and Flavonoids - Eating more fresh, organic fruits and vegetables or drinking vegetable juices is a good option.Quercetin is a flavonoid found in many fruits and vegetables that has anti lung tumor activity.
Green Tea - Green tea has been shown to be a potent chemopreventive agent against lung cancer formation in animal studies. The reported mechanisms for activity of green tea against cancer are antioxidation, induction of phase II enzymes, inhibition of TNFalpha expression and release, inhibition of cell proliferation, and induction of apoptosis. Cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induced by green tea are probably the two most significant factors. Consider drinking a cup of green tea in the morning and at lunch.
Inositol supplements have been studied for lung cancer.
Multivitamins taken as a daily supplement could be helpful
Noni is a tropical fruit whose juice or extract has been studied as a cancer treatment or prevention.
Resveratrol is found in red wine, consider drinking a 2 or 3 ounces in the evening with dinner.
Phytoestrogens
Saffron herb has been studied.
Silibinin is an extract from the plant milk thistle.
Vitamin D could be helpful - take a 20 to 30 minute walk a day and get some sun exposure.
I am in seventh grade and in my science class we are writing reports on diseases. i am doing lung cancer and in our reports we have to have a list of supplements. Do you have any information that would be helpful for me?
I am glad you are learning about this topic and its treatment in natural ways.
Lung Cancer and vitamins
Antioxidants and other vitamin supplements seem to offer no protection against lung cancer. In an analysis of eight previous studies, researchers found no evidence that vitamins A, C, E or folate lower a person's risk of lung cancer. Across the studies, which followed thousands of adults for up to 16 years, people with the highest intakes of the vitamins were no less likely to develop lung cancer than those with the lowest intakes. Vitamins C and E are antioxidants, which means they help neutralize cell-damaging substances in the body called free radicals. Vitamin A and folate, a B vitamin, also help maintain normal, healthy cells. There is some evidence that vitamin C from food, but not supplements, is protective. It may just be that the overall flavonoids and carotenoids together could reduce the risk of lung cancer as opposed to megadoses of certain isolated vitamins and supplements. International Journal of Cancer, February 15, 2006.
Anticancer Res. 2013 Nov. Chemoprevention with acetylsalicylic acid, vitamin D and calcium reduces risk of carcinogen-induced lung tumors. The chemoprevention diet had a protective effect against tumor development in the mouse lungs.
Lung Cancer diagnosis
In people at high risk for lung cancer, low-dose CT scanning of the chest may detect early lung cancer. However, "its usefulness as a screening tool is limited because it misses tumors in certain areas of the lung and often falsely identifies harmless spots as being cancerous.
Many positive CT scans for lung cancer screening resolve after short-term follow-up. The value of CT screening for lung cancer is unclear. In people at high risk for the disease, CT scanning may detect early lung cancer, but it's usefulness as a screening tool is limited because it misses tumors in certain areas of the lung and often falsely identifies harmless spots as being cancerous. Positive CT screening for lung cancer usually results in the diagnosis of early stage I lung cancer, but benign lesions are also found.
Jan. 9, 2014 -- As fewer Americans smoke, the number of people who develop lung cancer continues to drop, U.S. health officials report.
Screening pitfalls
Imaging tests used to screen symptom-free people for lung cancer often find suspicious growths that turn out to not be cancer. There is a significant downside of using the tests -- chest X-rays or spiral CT scans -- to try to detect this disease early. In recent years, CT scans, in particular, have been promoted by some hospitals and advocacy groups for lung cancer screening, even though studies have not yet shown whether such screening saves lives. Annals of Internal Medicine, April 20, 2010.
Lung Cancer cause and aggravation
There are several factors that increase the risk. Cigarette smoking is the single most important factor. Additional risk factors for lung cancer include industrial hazards such as radiation, asbestos, nickel, chromate, beryllium, arsenic, and coal. Air pollution is a cause in those living in urban congested areas with a lot of traffic. Radon exposure from soil in the house is another cause of lung cancer.
Workers exposed to the pesticide chlorpyrifos have an elevated risk of lung cancer and lung disease. Annual screening for lung cancer using computed tomography (CT) can help detect the disease at its earliest, most curable stage, but it does not reduce mortality from the disease and could actually result in more harm than good.
Among women who already have lung cancer, hormone replacement therapy - which has been tied to a higher risk of serious conditions including breast cancer and heart attacks - increases the risk of death from the tumor according to Dr. Rowan T. Chlebowski. Dr. Apar Kishor Ganti, from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha recommends discontinuation of hormone-replacement therapy once lung cancer is diagnosed. The Lancet, 2009.
Women who use hormone replacement therapy combining estrogen and progestin have a higher risk of lung cancer than non-users. Journal of Clinical Oncology, online February 16, 2010.
Chronic bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia are linked with a greater risk.
Radon and Lung Cancer
A study conducted in an area of Italy where residential radon levels are high confirms that the risk of lung cancer increases in step with levels of radon exposure, but that the Mediterranean diet may modify the effects. In the study, researchers examined the association between indoor radon exposure and lung cancer in 384 "case" patients with lung cancer and 404 control patients without lung cancer. They considered the potential role of smoking, diet, and other risk factors. The researchers determined residential history during the 30-year period ending 5 years prior to enrollment. Radon detectors were placed in the main bedroom and the living room in each residence for two consecutive 6-month periods. Confirming prior studies, the researchers found a positive link between indoor radon and lung cancer. The odds of developing lung cancer rose with increasing levels of residential radon exposure. Overall, the increase was generally not statistically significant, although significance was reached for some high radon exposure categories. They also report that individuals with low-medium consumption of dietary oxidants tended to be at greater risk. The possibility that dietary antioxidants may modify the effects of radon on lung cancer risk should be studied further, they conclude. International Journal of Cancer, May 10, 2005.
Marijuana and Lung Cancer
Although both marijuana and tobacco smoke are packed with cancer-causing chemicals, other qualities of marijuana seem to keep it from promoting lung cancer. The difference rests in the often opposing actions of the nicotine in tobacco and the active ingredient, THC, in marijuana, says Dr. Robert Melamede of the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs. Whereas nicotine has several effects that promote lung and other types of cancer, THC acts in ways that counter the cancer-causing chemicals in marijuana smoke. Lab research indicates that nicotine activates a body enzyme that converts certain chemicals in both tobacco and marijuana smoke into cancer-promoting form. In contrast, studies in mice suggest that THC blocks this enzyme activity.
Pesticides
Daily on-the-job exposure to the pesticide diazinon appears to increase the risk of lung cancer and possibly other cancers, according to findings from the US government-sponsored Agricultural Health Study, a project begun in 1993 to investigate the health effects of pesticides on farm families in Iowa and North Carolina.
Lung cancer and phosphates
Phosphates may stimulate lung cancer tumors grow faster, at least in mice. Myung-Haing Cho of Seoul National University says that in mice phosphates - found in many soft drinks, baked goods and processed meats and cheese - may also help tumors develop in the first place. "Our study indicates that increased intake of inorganic phosphates strongly stimulates lung cancer development in mice. A diet high in phosphates increases lung surface tumor lesions as well as the size." Myung-Haing Cho of Seoul National University said the research suggests that cutting back on inorganic phosphates may be critical for lung cancer treatment as well as prevention. Phosphates are critical to human nutrition and can be used in compounds that enrich calcium and iron content and prevent food from drying out but some people can get excessive amounts, up to 1000 mg a day.
Screening for Lung Cancer:
Screening for asymptomatic lung cancer by annual chest x-ray and sputum cytology in patients at high risk does not result in decreased mortality and cannot be recommended for the general population.
Lung Cancer in a Woman
Women who develop lung cancer appear to have lower survival rates if they have a history of using hormone replacement therapy.
Treatment of Lung Cancer
For the purposes of treatment, lung cancers into two groups: small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Small cell lung cancer often is widespread by the time of diagnosis, so that treatment is limited to chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. By contrast, non-small cell carcinoma may not have spread at the time of diagnosis, so that surgical resection, or cutting away, of the tumor is possible.
Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
The three types of non-small cell lung cancer are squamous carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma is the most common non-small-cell lung cancer - especially in women.
With best supportive care alone, patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have a median survival of 4 to 5 months and a 1-year survival rate of approximately 10%. Trials carried out in the 1980s and 1990s comparing chemotherapy to best supportive care reported variable efficacy results; however, a pivotal meta-analysis of these data indicated that cisplatin-based chemotherapy provided a survival benefit in advanced NSCLC. In the past decade newer agents such as gemcitabine (Gemzar), vinorelbine, paclitaxel, and docetaxel (Taxotere) have all demonstrated activity in NSCLC as single agents; consequently these agents have been combined with cisplatin or carboplatin.
A Pfizer Inc. kidney cancer drug has also shown promise in a small mid-stage trial as a treatment for the most common form of lung cancer. The new study involved 63 patients whose non-small cell lung cancer had progressed despite earlier treatments with standard chemotherapy. All patients were then given Pfizer's once-daily pill, Sutent, as a stand-alone treatment and continued to take it until their disease progressed. Tumors shrank by at least 50 percent in six, or 9 percent, of the patients. They stopped growing in another 27, or 43 percent, of the patients. Sutent was generally well tolerated, with mostly mild to moderate side effects such as fatigue, nausea and shortness of breath. Sutent blocks specific proteins that allow tumor cells to grow, and therefore cause far milder side effects than standard cancer treatments that also harm healthy tissue as they go after tumor cells. U.S. regulators in January approved Sutent, whose chemical name is sunitinib, to treat kidney cancer as well as a rare stomach and intestinal cancer known as GIST. Larger trials will be needed to conclusively establish Sutent's effectiveness against lung cancer.
In 2006 Avastin, the first drug designed to starve tumors of blood and nutrients, was approved as an initial treatment, in combination with chemotherapy, for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
Historical perspective on herbs for cancer
Herbs have been considered natural and valuable sources for anticancer drug discovery. Herbal medicine has been prescribed in many countries over centuries for treating various diseases including infectious and malignant diseases. Nowadays, many of the drugs that have been used for treatment of malignant diseases are derived from natural products such as Taxol, a natural product isolated initially from Pacific Yew (Taxus brevifolia).
Lung Cancer Recurrence
Researchers say they have developed a test that can predict with near certainty whether the most common form of lung cancer will return after surgery. The new test could save tens of thousands of lives every year by letting doctors prescribe more aggressive treatments for a patient whose lung cancer is likely to reappear. Called the Lung Metagene Predictor, the test scans non-small cell lung cancer cells' genetic material to identify patterns that occur in cancers that are likely to reappear. The Lung Metagene Predictor is claimed to be 90 percent accurate.
Lung Cancer Research with herbs and vitamins
Astragalus-based Chinese herbs and platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: meta-analysis of randomized trials.
J Clin Oncol. 2006. University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, Berkeley, CA
Systemic treatments for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer have low efficacy and high toxicity. Some Chinese herbal medicines have been reported to increase chemotherapy efficacy and reduce toxicity. In particular, Astragalus has been shown to have immunologic benefits by stimulating macrophage and natural killer cell activity and inhibiting T-helper cell type 2 cytokines. Many published studies have assessed the use of Astragalus and other Chinese herbal medicines in combination with chemotherapy. We sought to evaluate evidence from randomized trials that Astragalus-based Chinese herbal medicine combined with platinum-based chemotherapy (versus platinum-based chemotherapy alone) improves survival, increases tumor response, improves performance status, or reduces chemotherapy toxicity. Conclusion: Astragalus -based Chinese herbal medicine may increase effectiveness of platinum-based chemotherapy when combined with chemotherapy. These results require confirmation with rigorously controlled trials.
Resveratrol enhances radiosensitivity of human non-small cell lung cancer NCI-H838 cells accompanied by inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B activation.
J Radiat Res 2005.
Resveratrol, a polyphenol in red wine, possesses many pharmacological activities including cardioprotection, chemoprevention, anti-tumor effects, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) inactivation. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects and possible mechanism of resveratrol in enhancing radiosensitivity of lung cancer cells. Our results demonstrate that resveratrol enhances the radiosensitivity of NCI-H838 cells accompanied by NF-kappaB inhibition and S-phase.
Inhibition of lung cancer cell growth by quercetin glucuronides via G2/M arrest and induction of apoptosis.
Drug Metab Dispos. 2006. Department of Dermatology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in many developed countries, including Taiwan. Quercetin, a widely distributed bioflavonoid, is well known to induce growth inhibition in a variety of human cancer cells. Quercetin glucuronides are the main circulating metabolites after dietary supplements with quercetin in humans. However, there is little information available as to how quercetin glucuronides affect human cancer cells. Conclusion: Taken together, we demonstrated that quercetin glucuronides inhibited proliferation through G2/M arrest of the cell cycle and induced apoptosis via caspase-3 cascade in the human lung cancer cell line NCI-H209. Delineation of the biological effects of specific major quercetin metabolites on chemotherapeutic potential or chemoprevention of human cancers warrants further investigation.
Dietary phytoestrogens and lung cancer risk.
JAMA. 2005. Schabath MB, Hernandez LM, Wu X, Pillow PC, Spitz MR. Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Despite lung-specific in vitro and in vivo studies that support a chemopreventive role for phytoestrogens, there has been little epidemiologic research focused on dietary intake of phytoestrogens and risk of lung cancer. RESULTS: Reductions in risk of lung cancer tended to increase with each increasing quartile of phytoestrogen intake. The highest quartiles of total phytosterols, isoflavones, lignans, and phytoestrogens were each associated with reductions in risk of lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: While there are limitations and concerns regarding case-control studies of diet and cancer, these data provide further support for the limited but growing epidemiologic evidence that phytoestrogens are associated with a decrease in risk of lung cancer. Confirmation of these findings is still required in large-scale, hypothesis-driven, prospective studies.
Is voluntary vitamin and mineral supplementation associated with better outcome in non-small cell lung cancer patients? Results from the Mayo Clinic lung cancer cohort.
Lung Cancer. 2005. Jatoi A, Williams B, Nichols F, Marks R, Aubry MC, Wampfler J, Finke EE, Yang P. Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Some previous studies report that 80% of cancer patients take multivitamin and/or mineral supplements. To our knowledge, the consequences of such self-directed supplementation have not been examined previously in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The goal of this study was to determine whether vitamin/mineral supplementation is associated with improved survival and quality of life in a cohort of NSCLC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin /mineral supplementation is associated with better survival and quality of life in this cohort of NSCLC patients. Future prospective clinical trials should focus on the role of such supplements in patients with NSCLC.
Curcumin enhances Vinorelbine mediated apoptosis in NSCLC cells by the mitochondrial pathway.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005. Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Elderly lung cancer patients and those with poor performance status/co-morbid conditions are deprived of chemotherapy because of high toxicity of multidrug regimens. Human squamous cell lung carcinoma H520 cells treated with Curcumin were sensitized to the cytotoxicity caused by chemotherapeutic agent, Vinorelbine. Both caused apoptosis by increasing the protein expression of Bax and Bcl-xs while decreasing Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L), releasing apoptogenic cytochrome c, and augmenting the activity of caspase-9 and caspase-3. The findings suggest that Curcumin has the potential to act as an adjuvant chemotherapeutic agent and enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy of Vinorelbine in H520 cells in vitro. Thus, Curcumin offers the prospect of being beneficial in the above-mentioned patient groups.
Phase I study of green tea extract in patients with advanced lung cancer.
Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2005. Laurie SA, Miller VA, Grant SC, Kris MG, Ng KK.
Thoracic Oncology Service, Division of Solid Tumor Oncology, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, USA.
Epidemiologic studies suggest that consumption of green tea may have a protective effect against the development of several cancers. Preclinical studies of green tea and its polyphenolic components have demonstrated antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic activity, and inhibition of growth of tumor cell lines and animal tumor models, including lung cancer. Green tea may also have chemopreventive properties, and enhancement of cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents has been demonstrated. This trial was designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of green tea extract (GTE) in patients with advanced lung cancer. This study suggests that while relatively nontoxic at a dose of 3 g/m2 per day, green tea extract likely has limited activity as a cytotoxic agent, and further study of green tea extract as a single-agent in established malignancies may not be warranted. Chronic lung disease.
Genetics
First-degree relatives of non-smoking individuals diagnosed with lung cancer have an increased likelihood of developing any type of cancer. These relatives are also more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer themselves, especially at an early age, compared with first-degree relatives of healthy non-smokers without lung cancer.
Lung cancer scan does not save lives
Screening smokers and former smokers for lung cancer with a CT scan doesn't save lives or prevent advanced disease and may lead to unneeded and harmful treatment. Some experts have hoped that the scans, which are a special kind of X-ray that can detect tiny lung abnormalities, will prevent lung cancer deaths by getting people into treatment earlier. But there hasn't been convincing evidence of that. The American Cancer Society doesn't recommend the lung cancer test, which costs $300 to $400, and most insurance companies won't pay for it. The latest research, appearing in the March 2007 Journal of the American Medical Association, analyzed lung cancer deaths and cases of advanced lung cancer among 3,246 smokers and former smokers who had annual CT scans for about four years. Researchers compared deaths and advanced cancer cases with rates predicted by a mathematical model. The model -- based on a person's age, gender, asbestos exposure and smoking history -- has proven valid in previous studies. The model predicted there would be 33.4 cases of advanced cancer; there were 42. The model predicted 38.8 lung cancer deaths; there were 38. "We don't see a trace of evidence that a single life was saved, that a single case of advanced cancer was avoided," said study co-author Dr. Peter Bach of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. CT screening did increase diagnosis and treatment. The people screened were three times more likely to have lung cancer diagnosed and 10 times more likely to have lung surgery than predicted.
Farming and lung disease
Farm workers are more likely than those with other occupations to show signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD is the collective term for emphysema and chronic bronchitis, progressive diseases of the airways most commonly associated with smoking. While smoking is the major risk factor for COPD, non-smokers can also develop it. Farming has been linked to other health consequences, including higher risks of asthma and lung cancer, possibly due to pesticides or other chemicals. Farmers consistently inhale "agricultural dusts," which consist of organic materials from animal and plant sources as well as inorganic materials in soil that can cause inflammation in the airways. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, June 2007.
