Lung Cancer

By Sofia Ahsanuddin, Rahima Khatun, Alima Choudhary, and

Ashley Bhola

Healthy lung Unhealthy lung

What is lung cancer? Lung cancer is the leading

cancer in America that kills both men and women. Approximately 173,000 new cases of lung cancer and an estimated 160,440 deaths from lung cancer occur in the United States annually.

There are two major types of lung cancer. Non-small lung cancer and small-cell lung cancer

A microscopic image of lung cancer

What is non-small lung cancer and what is small-cell lung cancer?

Non-small lung cancer is much more common than any other type of cancer. It usually spreads to different parts of the body faster than small-cell lung cancer.

Squamous call carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma are three types of non-small cell lung cancer.

Normal structure and functions of the respiratory system

Continued Air can enter through the nose into the pharynx. The

pharynx branches into two tubes, one of the being the larynx, the tube that leads to the lungs. The larynx consists of the vocal cords.

The larynx guards the entrance to a larger tube called the trachea, or the windpipe. The trachea is the passageway for air traveling from the larynx to the lungs.

The trachea splits into two branches called bronchi. One bronchus connects to one lung. Each bronchus branches into smaller tubes called bronchioles. These bronchioles form tiny air sacs called alveoli.

The cause of lung cancer

Lung cancer is caused mostly by lifestyle choices. Because many people choose to smoke, they are often diagnosed with lung cancer. 85-90% of people who are diagnosed with lung cancer have smoked earlier in their life. Up to 80% of female lung cancer patients have smoked.

Other than getting diagnosed with lung cancer by poor choices, people can inherit lung cancer from their parents.

Symptoms of Lung Cancer

A chronic severe cough that does not go away. Chest, shoulders and back pain that does not go away and often gets worse

with deep breathing. Wheezing Shortness of breath Hoarseness Coughing blood and bloody sputum. Swollen in the neck and face. Difficult to swallow. Weight loss and loss of appetite increasing fatigue and weakness Recurring respiratory infections, such as pneumonia. Clubbing of the fingers and toes.

Structures of the respiratory system that are affected by Lung cancer

The pharynx, larynx and the trachea are affected by lung cancer because the patient cannot breathe deeply and the patient wheezes. The patient has a hoarse voice and has increasing fatigue. The patient has difficulty swallowing. Of course the lungs are affected because a tumor grows in the lungs and disables the patient to breathe deeply without coughing or wheezing.

How are the respiratory system and the circulatory system interdependent?

Red blood cells called erythrocytes transport oxygen to cells throughout the body. When a human body takes a breath, the oxygen inhaled enters the lungs. In the lungs, the oxygen molecules attach themselves to the hemoglobin molecules inside the erythrocytes and then transport themselves to cells all over the body. once the cells use the oxygen transported to them in the first place, the carbon dioxide they produce are then transported back to the lungs and exhale.

Treatment for lung cancer

First of all, there are many treatments for lung cancer. You can either get medication for it, have surgery to remove the tumor that develops, or you can use chemotherapy and/or radiation.

Lung Cancer Surgery

Four basic types for lung cancer surgery. Lobectomy: part of the lung called a lobe is removed.

The surgeon will also remove some lymph nodes to check for any signs of cancer.

Pneumonectomy: The surgeon will remove the entire cancerous lung.

Wedge resection: removal of small section, or a wedge of the lung.

Thoracoscopic resection: The tumor and a layer of the healthy lung surrounding the tumor are removed.

Lung Cancer Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy Radiation Therapy: high energy x-ray that

kills cancer cells. It is also used in combination with chemotherapy and surgery.

Chemotherapy: The use of drugs that are able to kill cancer cells for patients with more advanced cancer. It can be injected directly into a vein in combination with surgery or radiation therapy.

Public Service Announcement

Smoking during pregnancy is responsible for 20-30% of low birth weight babies.

As much as 14% of pre-term deliveries are a result of the mother's smoking.

Smoking accounts for 10% of all infant deaths.

Would you put a cigarette into your baby’s mouth? No? Well, that’s the same as making your baby smoke when you smoke during pregnancy. It’s something to think about.

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Bibliography

http://www.cancercenter.com/lung-cancer/surgery.cfm

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35427#whatis

http://www.uhnresearch.ca/studies/lungscreening/flash/Lung_cancer.swf

http://www.blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_healthblog/ 2007/02/nonsmoking_wome.html

www.joanslegacy.org/news_bulletin.html