What is Lung Cancer?

The organs and tissues of the body are made up of tiny building blocks called cells. Cells in different parts of the body may look and work differently but most reproduce themselves in the same way. Cells are constantly becoming old and dying, and new cells are produced to replace them. Normally, the division and growth of cells is orderly and controlled but if this process gets out of control for some reason, the cells will continue to divide and develop into a lump which is called a tumour. Tumours can either be benign or malignant. Cancer is the name given to a malignant tumour. In this case since the cells  in the lung are “out of control”, it is called lung cancer. 

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Lung cancer doesn’t necessarily have to come from the lungs.  A cancerous (malignant) tumour consists of cancer cells which have the ability to spread beyond the original site. Sometimes cells break away from the original (primary) cancer and spread to other organs in the body by travelling in the bloodstream or lymphatic system. When these cells reach a new area of the body they may go on dividing and form a new tumour, often referred to as a "secondary" or a "metastasis".  So, you could have cells from your stomach that are out of control that lodge in the lungs and begin to spread.  It is important to identify the type of cancer since treatments may vary.

Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths among men and women in the United States. There are two major types of lung cancer: small cell and non-small cell. Non-small cell makes up about 80 to 90 percent of the cases; small cell, approximately 10 to 12 percent. Both arise from lung epithelial cells. The image to the right illustrates one form of cancer know as a Mesothelioma which is commonly associated with exposure to asbestos.

Symptoms of lung cancer can include a cough that won’t go away, chest pain, hoarseness, shortness of breath, bloody or rust-colored sputum and recurring infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

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