Lung Cancer: Understanding Warning Signs and Treatment Options

An estimated 235,760 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2021. The disease is the second-most common type of cancer in both men and women. While a diagnosis can be overwhelming, early treatment can improve the prognosis. With a quick online search, people can learn more about lung cancer and potential treatment options. The resources found online can greatly help patients and their families take the first steps.

Lung Cancer Symptoms and Risk Factors

Lung cancer severely affects a persons’ ability to absorb and process oxygen and carbon dioxide - to put that another way, the disease damages the lungs and causes breathing problems. It’s the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, but many patients achieve remission with proper treatment. Early detection plays an important role.

Many people don’t exhibit clear early signs of lung cancer, which can make detection difficult. The most significant (and well-known) risk factor is smoking, but people may still develop lung cancer without using tobacco. Likewise, people who used tobacco and quit still have an elevated risk compared to lifelong non-smokers.

There are two main types of lung cancer: small cell (SCLC) and non-small cell (NSCLC). About 80 percent of lung cancers are NSCLC, and while cancer differs from patient to patient, NSCLC usually spreads more slowly. Both types of cancer have similar symptoms.

The most common symptoms associated with lung cancer are:

• Shortness of breath and hoarseness
• A cough that never goes away or gets worse over time
• Feeling tired or weak in conjunction with a loss of appetite
• Chest pain that worsens with deep breathing or laughing
• Consistent, recurring bronchitis or other infections

Cancer can spread (or metastasize) to other tissues. When lung cancer spreads, symptoms may include bone pain, swelling in the lymph nodes, yellowing skin (jaundice), numbness in the arms and legs, or various other symptoms depending on how the cancer spreads.

All of the symptoms listed above can be associated with other health issues. A person experiencing unusual symptoms should make an appointment with their doctor right away to get an accurate diagnosis.

Understanding Diagnosis and Treatment Options

The most common tests used to diagnose lung cancer are imaging texts (such as X-rays or CT scans), biopsies (lab tests performed after removing a small amount of tissue from the lung), or sputum cytology (analyzing phlegm to look for potentially cancerous cells). A physician may use a combination of these tests to confirm the diagnosis.

In order to determine potential treatments, the cancer must be staged - this process uses additional imaging tests to determine whether cancer has spread to other tissues. A doctor might also perform genetic testing to build an appropriate treatment plan.

Treatments for lung cancer may include:

Targeted Pharmaceutical Therapy - This treatment uses specific drugs to slow or stop the growth of the cancerous cells.

This field of cancer research is growing quickly. In late 2020, the FDA approved two targeted therapies for non-small cell lung cancer that block blood vessel formation in certain parts of the body, preventing cancer from growing.

Chemotherapy - Commonly used to treat various types of cancer, chemotherapy is medicine administered either orally or intravenously. It may kill cancer cells or shrink tumors, allowing for surgery and other types of treatment.

Radiation Therapy - This therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells.

Immunotherapy - Immunotherapy “retrains" the body’s immune system to target cancer cells. Medications like pembrolizumab may be effective treatments for certain patients.

Surgery - Most lung cancer patients will undergo some type of surgery along with other types of treatment. Surgeons attempt to remove as much of the cancerous tissues as possible, which may help the patient’s symptoms.

Not every treatment is appropriate for every person. Patients should feel comfortable talking with their doctors to learn about potential therapies and medications.

Researching Lung Cancer Information Online

To have better conversations with a physician, patients may decide to use the internet to research oncologists (doctors who specialize in cancer treatment), therapies, and symptoms. It’s important to look at a variety of resources when taking this approach - no single website can provide all of the information that a person needs.

However, through careful research, people can build a better understanding of lung cancer. Consider visiting at least 3-4 sources, particularly when choosing a doctor or evaluating treatment options. By gathering info from several resources - and by discussing that info with an experienced physician - patients and their families can get peace of mind when taking the next steps.