What is the Function of the Lung?
The lungs are two spongy, cone-shaped organs located in the chest cavity. They are part of the respiratory system, which brings oxygen into the body and releases carbon dioxide outside of the body. The lungs are divided into lobes. The right lung is divided into three lobes: the upper, middle and lower. The left lung is divided into two lobes: upper and lower. Two tubes, known as bronchi, arise from the trachea (the windpipe) and conduct air into the left and right lung.
The lungs are covered by a thin membrane, which is called the pleura. The space between the lung and the pleura is known as the pleural cavity, which normally contains a small amount of fluid that helps the lungs maintain smooth movement within the chest cavity.
What is Lung Cancer?
Cancer is a term used to describe disease in which the body’s cells become abnormal and divide without control. The abnormal cells may spread to other parts of the body through direct invasion (cell to cell) or by means of the bloodstream and lymph nodes. As cancer progresses, it can lead to injury and sometimes death. Lung cancers start in the lungs and over time, if not detected early enough, will then spread to nearby lymph nodes and then distant organs. Lung cancer remains one of the most common cancers that affects both men and women.
Types of Lung Cancer
The four major types of lung cancer are
- Small Cell or Oat Cell Carcinoma
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Adenocarcinoma (includes a subtype known as bronchioalveolar)
- Large cell carcinoma.
Squamous carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma are categorized as non-small cell lung cancers. Non-small cell lung cancers are the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for over 80% of all lung cancers today.
Determining what type of tumor you have is a critical step for your doctors. Your tumor type determines what form of treatment will be administered.
Who Is at Risk for Lung Cancer?
Smoking, including cigar and pipe smoking, is the most common cause of lung cancer. The more a person smokes and the longer he or she smokes, the higher their risk of developing lung cancer.
Non-smokers are also at risk if they are exposed to second hand smoke.
Exposure to radon, a radioactive gas, and exposure to asbestos are other risk factors for lung cancer.
