Small Cell Lung Cancer
Read more if you are wondering about the signs and symptoms lung cancer, including some helpful recommendations and advice concerning the condition referred to as, small cell lung cancer. This form of lung cancer is the biggest cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. In fact, cancer of the lung kills more Americans than breast, colon, lymph, ovarian, and prostate combined. Learn more about how you can prevent and treat cancer of lung.
This form of cancer is located in the respiratory organs referred to as, the lungs. The lungs enable the intake of oxygen and output of carbon dioxide. Those people who are at a greater risk of developing lung cancer are those who smoke. Frequent smoking raises the risk; however, quitting smoking can greatly reduce the risk of being affected by lung cancer. However, despite the common misconception, lung cancer can occur in individuals who have never smoked and may have never been exposed to secondhand smoke before.
Typically, symptoms do not appear throughout the early small cell lung cancer stage. However, as the condition progresses (especially when left untreated) the symptoms begin to appear and seem to worsen with time. The symptoms of specific form of cancer includes chest pain, cough, wheezing, bloody phlegm, shortness of breath, appetite loss coupled with weight loss, difficulty swallowing, facial swelling, fever, voice hoarseness, and weakness. It is too important to identify the signs and consult your physician right away, if you are concerned about any symptoms.
The doctor will determine the type of lung cancer by examining the cells under a microscope, where he or she determines whether the patient is affected by either small cell lung or the non-small cell form of the disease. There are three types of small cell cancer of lung including, small cell carcinoma (oat cell cancer), mixed (small cell or large cell carcinoma), and combined small cell carcinoma. The majority of SCLCs are oat cell cancer. Small cell lung cancer is not as common as those being affected by the non-small cell lung form and it occurs most often in chronic smokers.
You will need to set up an appointment to talk to a doctor that you can trust about your treatment options. The doctor takes into consideration the type of cancer, the small cell lung cancer stage of the disease, and other considerations, to determine the most powerful combination that offers the least side effects. Treatment options might include a combination of one or more treatments such as, chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, or targeted drug therapy, as well.
We have listed several helpful treatment options, schedule an appointment with the doctor to determine which method will work best for your specific case. Early detection can prevent the spreading or metastasis of this cancer by treating the first signs of the disease. We hope that by reading the information above, you will be better informed about identifying the symptoms lung cancer.