Archive for the 'Lung Cancer' Category

It’s seems that these days more individuals are trying to get on the right path when it comes to trying to quit smoking, leaving many pursuing the idea of going green with the E cigarette. As a result, this leaves many wondering just how electronic smokes weigh up against traditional tobacco products or how it might benefit them in the long run.

Several hundreds, if not thousands, of different chemicals and toxins are in regular cigarettes, ranging anywhere from rat poison to carcinogens, carbon monoxide, butane, ammonia and so forth. It is these toxins that wreak havoc on both you and your body in the long run, while nicotine itself causes individuals to be come just as addicted as those who use heroin or cocaine.

Many people find it hard to believe that something such as nicotine can even come close to being as addictive as some of your hardest street drugs. In reality, however, this is what makes it so hard for so many to quit in the end. The longer their addiction is maintained, the harder it is to break the habit and the more severe their withdraw symptoms will be.  Read more...

The possibility of lung cancer (LC) is frightening because the disease can spread quickly. Survival rates are closely tied to its metastasis. For example, if the condition is caught while it is in Stage 1, the 5-year survival rate rises to eighty percent. By the time it has reached Stage 2 (i.e. the tumor has spread to the lymph nodes), the rate drops to fifty percent. By Stage 4, only one in ten patients can expect to live more than five years.

The problem is that most cases of lung cancer are identified after the disease has reached its later stages. The patient typically remains unaware there is a problem until she experiences chest pain or a blood-tinged cough. During a routine examination, her doctor takes x-rays that reveal the abnormality present in her lungs. Further testing is needed to confirm whether the abnormality represents lung cancer.

Below, we’ll describe the tests that are done to diagnose the disease. Some are slightly invasive while others are not. Your physician will decide which of the following tests are appropriate.

Medical History, Physical Exam, And Chest X-rays  Read more...

If you’re a smoker who’s looking for an alternative way of fulfilling your craving, then look no further. Good thing that an electronic cigarette or e cigarette is widely available nowadays. What exactly is this little device and why many smokers are switching to it? Read on to learn more about it and find out about the different benefits you can have from using it.

Of course there are alternatives to smoking to get your regular dose of nicotine. Some examples are nicotine patches, pills and gums. However, they don’t provide the same physical experience you get from using an actual cigarette. Using an electronic counterpart provides you the same oral and tactile simulation. But without the many health problems that may arise from smoking.

Tobacco smoke contains thousands of several different chemicals in it. It’s said that 50 of these are known to be carcinogens, or substances that can cause cancers. It’s not just lung cancer you can get from tobacco smoke. You may also develop other forms of it, such as oral, esophageal, laryngeal, pancreatic, cervical, and many others. You may also suffer from emphysema, impotence, miscarriage, stroke and other heart diseases.  Read more...

Millions of people smoke and millions of people try to stop daily. It isn’t easy and most don’t truly want to. But the health dangers and the cost make them at least try. That is why many smokers are now turning to an e cigarette, choosing something that allows them to enjoy their habit without all the health dangers attached to it.

An electronic cigarette provides many advantages over the tradition tobacco filled ones. Since they are smokeless, there is no second hand smoke, no tar, and no burning at all. Some brands are even programmed so they control the amount of nicotine and shut off once that has been reached. And, this is all done without any of the toxic and poisonous substances of traditional cigarettes.

The cost of cigarettes is high today and there is no end in sight on how high they can go. This is an effective deterrent to stopping people from starting, but a current smoker is likely to continue to pay whatever price for their habit. These electronic cigarettes work by using refill cartridges, which are much lower in price than buying pack after pack of traditional cigarettes and the nicotine control in some stops one from being a chain smoker. All around, they are a far more affordable and cheaper alternative.  Read more...

Radiation therapy (RT) is a local treatment measure used to kill cancerous cells and reduce the size of tumors. Doses of ionizing radiation are focused upon cells that divide more quickly than normal. They damage portions of the cells’ DNA structure, thereby preventing them from splitting and ultimately, killing them. Your doctor, with input from an oncologist, will decide whether RT is an appropriate form of treatment for your condition.

In this article, we’ll describe when radiation therapy (sometimes called radiotherapy) is used as an adjunct to lung cancer (LC) surgery. There are two main approaches to delivering the doses; we’ll briefly describe both of them. You’ll also learn about the short-term and long-term side effects associated with the treatment.

Circumstances For Which Radiation Therapy Is Used

Radiotherapy is usually combined with lung cancer surgery, and can be done before or after the operation. In the former case, the purpose is to control the spread of diseased cells and reduce the size of the primary tumorous mass. This makes removal of the mass easier. In the latter case, the purpose is to kill residual diseased cells.  Read more...

Electronic cigarettes are battery powered and include no tobacco. Instead of using traditional tobacco the’ve an atomizer to produce simulated smoke and a cartridge that holds the flavorings, water, and depending on what your country allows at your option, either nicotine or nicotine free.

Smoking an electric cigarette, as compared to a standard tobacco one, often satisfies most of a smoker’s cravings. Most people claim that traditional tobacco smoking is hard to quit given the habit of holding the cigarette and the reflex of taking it to the mouth and sucking in, along with nicotine addiction. With electronic cigarettes they still get all of that and there is the by-product of clean “smoke” as opposed to pollutants.

The benefits of these cigarettes are that they’re more socially acceptable than the standard tobacco ones. There are no pollutants in the smoke that’s emitted, there are no horrible smells to annoy people who are nearby and no ashtrays to clean at days end.

The “smoke” like vapor emitted by them vaporizes within a few seconds, and the smell does not remain with your car, your home or your clothes so they will not have a tobacco smell that is not possible to mask. It doesn’t leave any visible remnants in the air, such as the unsightly, acrid cloud that is known to that irritates people who sit near to smokers of standard tobacco cigarettes.  Read more...

More Than Forty years after the first Surgeon General’s report in 1964, the list of diseases and other adverse effects caused by smoking continues to expand which is a great reason for people looking for the best way to quit smoking. Epidemiologic studies are providing a comprehensive assessment of the risks faced by smokers who continue to smoke across their life spans. Laboratory research now reveals how smoking causes disease at the molecular and cellular levels. Fortunately for former smokers, studies show that the substantial risks of smoking can be reduced by successfully quitting at any age. The evidence reviewed in this and prior reports of the Surgeon General leads to the following major conclusions.

Smoking harms practically each and every organ associated with the body, causing several diseases and reducing the health and wellbeing of people who smoke in general. Stopping smoking cigarettes offers immediate as well as long-term advantages, decreasing problems for ailments triggered through smoking and enhancing well being in general. Smoking cigarettes with lesser machine-measured yields of tar and nicotine offers no obvious gain to wellness.  Read more...

If you are suffering from lung cancer, your doctor may recommend surgery. If the disease is still in its early stages, surgery may be sufficient for eliminating the cancerous cells. Otherwise, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may also be necessary. Even when lung cancer surgery is performed using minimally invasive techniques, it is often traumatic on the patient’s body. For this reason, your physician will want to conduct a number of tests during the days leading up to the operation. He or she may also make a few suggestions that can improve the results of the procedure.

This article will provide an overview of the process leading up to your lung cancer surgery. Whether you’re planning to undergo a wedge resection, lobectomy, or pneumonectomy, knowing what lies ahead will relieve your anxiety, and help you prepare.

Tests To Monitor Your Condition And Health

The outcome of the procedure will depend largely on your health. The healthier you are, the better your body will able to tolerate the operation. Your physician will examine your medical history to look for preconditions or past complications that may make surgery impossible. These include postoperative clotting, problems tolerating anesthesia, and breathing issues following procedures in the past. Your doctor will also need to be informed regarding any medications you’re taking since they can increase the chances of bleeding.  Read more...

It is estimated that ten percent of diagnosed cases of lung cancer (LC) are found in people who have never smoked a cigarette. This is a startling fact for those who thought themselves safe from the disease simply because they have always been nonsmokers. In reality, they are susceptible (though, less so). It is worth noting that one in five women who have LC have never smoked. It is unclear, however, whether this is due to a predisposition to the disease or environmental factors.

There are many ways in which non-smoking men and women can develop the disease. This article will describe the most common risk factors. We’ll then discuss the different forms of treatment available, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.

Risk Factors And Potential Causes

Most people instinctively think the main cause of LC in nonsmokers is passive smoking (the inhalation of smoke expelled from other smokers). Passive smoking is responsible for nearly 3,000 deaths (due to lung cancer) each year. But other factors play a more significant role.  Read more...

If lung cancer (LC) is diagnosed early enough, it can often be resolved with a wedge resection. The diseased portion of lung tissue is cut away from the organ, along with a surrounding perimeter of healthy tissue. In most cases, however, the tumor goes undetected long enough for the cancerous cells to spread. As a result, resolving LC requires a slightly more aggressive approach. The surgeon must remove one of the lobes by performing an operation known as a lobectomy.

The operation has traditionally been done through invasive thoracotomy – that is, cutting through the chest to access the lungs. In recent years, surgeons have begun using a minimally-invasive approach known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Below, we’ll describe the differences between VATS and conventional thoracotomy. We’ll then take a look at how patients are chosen for the former. Lastly, we’ll explain what you can expect during recovery following a VATS lobectomy.

VATS Lobectomy Versus Invasive Thoracotomy

During thoracotomy, a surgeon makes a long incision into the middle of your chest. He or she must also cut through your sternum and spread your ribs in order to gain access to your lungs. In some cases, a portion of one or more ribs is removed.  Read more...