Cancer which begins in the cells of the lung. It causes difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, chest pain, hoarseness, headache and weight loss.

Symptoms & Reports

• Chest pain that worsens when you breathe deeply, laugh, or a cough.
• Hoarseness
• A lingering or worsening cough
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Weakness and fatigue
• Loss of appetite and weight Loss
• Coughing up phlegm or blood
• Muscle Weakness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• High blood pressure
• High blood sugar
• Confusion
• Seizures
• Coma

Causes

• The primary reason for lung cancer is cigarette smoking. There are chances that nonsmokers also get lung cancer. Smoke that enters the lungs causes damage to the lung tissue. The body will try to repair the damage, but due to the continuous exposure, it will fail
• Another causative agent is a radioactive gas called radon. Radioactive gas can enter through small holes in the buildings. Genetic mutation can increase the risk of developing lung cancer.
• Smoking
• Radiation therapy
• Asbestos and other heavy metals like cadmium, selenium, etc., can also increase the risk.
• Family history of lung cancer

Prevention

• Quit smoking: Smoking is the common cause
• Avoid passive smoking
• Avoid carcinogens at work: stay away from harmful chemicals

Screening Options available at JNCHRC

• X-ray: X-ray of chest is taken to identify the presence of tumour.
• CT scan: CT scan of the lungs is performed to identify the location and size of the tumour mass.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): MRI of the lungs can detect the severity and spread of cancer cells.
• Positron emission tomography (PET): To observe the function of lungs and its tissues.
• Sputum cytology: Sputum tests may be performed in certain cases to look for cancerous cells.
• Biopsy: A small sample of the lung tumour cells is obtained to determine if they are cancerous.