Recently, there has been a tendency towards an increase in the number of oncological diseases. This is influenced by many factors. One of the common diseases is peripheral lung cancer. The incidence of them over the past few years has increased dramatically, and in all countries. Most often, men become its victims, but women are not spared the problem.
What is lung cancer?
In most countries, oncology is considered the number one cause of early mortality. Among all cancers, tumors in the lungs appear most often. In this case, normal cells cease to function as before and begin to divide uncontrollably. So a cancerous tumor appears .
It can have a different histological structure, and development in each case differs in its growth rate. If differentiated squamous cell carcinoma appears , then it develops slowly, undifferentiated, on the contrary, it is characterized by rapid growth and the ability to produce extensive metastases.
Usually a tumor develops in one of the lungs, most often peripheral cancer of the lung lobe appears. Moreover, with a greater probability, this tumor is localized in the upper lobes. There is more air exchange and a more convenient structure of the bronchus. He continues the trachea almost in a straight line, which means that all harmful substances freely penetrate inside.
Causes of Lung Cancer
In most cases, the start of the growth process of cancer cells occurs through the fault of the person himself. The disregard for one’s health leads to such dire consequences. Most often, peripheral lung cancer begins to develop for the following reasons:
1. Smoking. This is one of the main and main causes of the onset of the disease. Tobacco smoke contains a huge amount of harmful and toxic substances, which are also carcinogens. Almost 75-90% of all cases of cancer are related to smoking. Passive smoking can also be attributed to this. Some doctors believe that it is even more dangerous than directly smoking a cigarette.
2. Occupational factors, among which the following harmful substances occupy a special place:
- nickel and its compounds;
- arsenic;
- radon and its decay products;
- coal tar.
3. Air pollution. This phenomenon can be observed not only in the territory of a harmful enterprise, but also along highways, and even far beyond the boundaries of megacities. The population of those districts and cities where enterprises of heavy industry, chemical and oil refining are particularly affected.
4. Dirty air in residential areas. This can include not only the smokiness of apartments, but also the pollution associated with radon and its derivatives, which are most often found:
- in building materials used for construction and decoration;
- in drinking water.
5. The effect of certain viruses on the DNA of a cell.
6. Genetic predisposition, but with this disease, its role is quite small.
It is worth noting that all these factors act as synergists in relation to each other, which to a greater extent can provoke peripheral lung cancer.
Varieties
In medicine, there are several classifications of lung tumors. If we consider the location in the body, then emit:
1. Central cancer, it develops directly inside the bronchi, it is divided into:
- endobronchial;
- peribronchial;
- ramified.
2. Peripheral lung cancer is characterized by a tumor that is localized in the lung itself. It is also divided into:
- round swelling;
- pneumonia-like;
- cancer of the apex of the lung.
Central cancer is twice as common, and among peripheral varieties, in most cases, peripheral cancer of the right lung is diagnosed.
Different types of ailment differ among themselves not only in the anatomical structure, but also in the course, and, accordingly, in the treatment methods.
Peripheral Cancer Characterization
A tumor that develops directly in the lung tissue has its own distinctive features:
- A round tumor is most often in the form of a spherical formation, in rare cases, resembles an irregularly shaped seal. Tumors may or may not be associated with lumens of the bronchi.
- Pneumonia-like cancer has received this name for its similarity to pneumonia in an X-ray study.
- Cancer of the apex of the lung usually develops in the apical part and is able to grow in the 1st and 2nd pair of ribs, as well as in the processes of the cervical vertebrae. In the presence of such a variety of pain can appear in the shoulder and forearm.
Since cancer can be small-cell and non-small-cell, it is necessary to find out with a biopsy, because the therapy in these cases is different.
Symptoms of peripheral cancer
The indicated variety of the disease does not manifest itself in the first stages of its development. This is due to the fact that there are no pain receptors in the lungs. As the tumor grows, the bronchi, pleura and neighboring organs are already involved in the process.
At this moment, signs begin to appear more clearly:
- There is a cough with sputum, there may be a dissemination of blood.
- The voice becomes hoarse.
- The syndrome of compression of the superior vena cava appears.
- As peripheral lung cancer progresses, shortness of breath appears.
- General weakness.
- Intoxication of the body.
- Weight loss.
- Body temperature may increase.
- If peripheral cancer of the upper lobe of the left lung is diagnosed, then pain in the shoulder, neck, weakness in the muscles of the arm, and visual impairment may appear.
At later stages, complications from the organs affected by metastases begin to appear. Death, as a rule, occurs from extensive metastases, cancer pneumonia and severe depletion of the body.
If these symptoms appear, you must urgently visit a doctor. They, of course, are not 100% guarantors of lung cancer, but it is better to be safe. Moreover, with peripheral cancer, symptoms appear much later than with central.
Diagnosis of the disease
According to the symptoms alone, without additional examinations, it is impossible to make an accurate diagnosis, all the more so serious. If, according to your complaints, the doctor begins to suspect the presence of a tumor, then a full examination will be prescribed, which includes such types as:
- Roentgenography.
- To clarify the diagnosis - computed tomography.
- Bronchoscopy
- Biopsy - to clarify the type of tumor.
These are only basic studies, without which it is impossible to make a correct diagnosis. Not to mention the fact that blood, urine, ECG tests are required and other studies are being conducted.
After the results of the examination, the attending physician will be determined with the methods of therapy.
Stage of peripheral cancer
Any cancerous tumor goes through several stages in its development. They are designed specifically so that you can determine how the tumor has spread in the body, as well as choose treatment methods.
If peripheral lung cancer develops, the stages are as follows:
1. If it is a non-small cell form of cancer, then there are 4 stages:
- 1st is characterized by a small tumor, which is localized in one of the lungs.
- The 2nd stage is manifested by an enlarged tumor, which captures the lymph nodes of the diseased lung.
- In the third stage, the tumor is large and is also located in the lymph nodes in the tissues between the lungs.
- The 4th stage is the most serious - the cancer spreads to a healthy lung, metastases appear in other organs.
2. Small cell cancer has only 2 stages:
- The tumor is localized in one half of the chest.
- A common process captures both halves of the chest, metastases are found in many internal organs.
Treatment of peripheral lung cancer
Separation at the stage for this exists so that the doctor can more specifically determine the methods of treatment. At each stage of the development of the disease, the methods of therapy may differ and have their own characteristics.
Also, the age of the patient will influence the choice of treatment methods, if the diagnosis is peripheral lung cancer, the medical history is also taken into account before prescribing medications. When detecting cancer, some immediately begin to use traditional medicine methods, but their effectiveness has not been proven, only proven methods of official medicine can help in the fight against the disease and prolong the patient's life.
An oncologist should be involved in the treatment. Depending on the type of cancer, the treatment methods are different, in general, they are used:
- Chemotherapy.
- Radiation exposure.
- Surgical intervention.
Treatment of non-small cell cancer
If non-small cell peripheral cancer of the left lung is diagnosed, for example, then surgery is indicated in the first and second stages. The doctor removes part of the affected lung or the whole if the tumor is large.
If the operation was carried out at the second stage of the development of the disease, then additional treatment is prescribed, it includes:
- Radiation therapy is radiation that kills cancer cells.
- Chemotherapy using drugs that have a detrimental effect on the tumor.
If the disease is already in the third stage, then usually surgical removal is indicated first, followed by chemotherapy and radiation.
After the treatment, it is necessary to regularly visit an oncologist in order to suspect a relapse of the disease in time and begin timely treatment. It was noted that if the patient never parted with his addiction to smoking, then relapses are much more common.
When the disease reaches stage 4, it is unlikely that it will be possible to cure the patient, you can only prolong his life a little, using the same treatment methods as in the first three stages of the disease.
Small cell cancer and its treatment
This form is distinguished by its rapid growth and early metastases. Therefore, even at the very first stages of the disease, chemotherapy is mandatory.
Surgical removal is usually performed if the stage is early and there are no metastases. But doctors noticed that even removal and then irradiation does not give a 100% guarantee of a complete cure.
It is possible to increase the life expectancy of patients and improve its quality only with the use of chemotherapy after surgery. You must complete at least 4 courses.
It has been established that if all treatment methods are combined, this gives a much greater effect than using them individually. For example, after chemotherapy, relapses occur in more than 80% of cases, after irradiation - in 33%, and if combined, then only 28% of patients.
Chemotherapy is always a big burden on the body, not all patients normally tolerate this procedure, so it is advisable to carry it out in a hospital. In each case, the doctor prescribes medications and their combination, regimen and duration of treatment.
Forecast
If peripheral lung cancer is diagnosed, then most often the prognosis is poor. It all depends on the time of detection of the disease: the sooner it is detected, the more effective the treatment.
Since peripheral cancer is detected in the early stages quite rarely due to the lack of pain, even with a combination of different treatment methods, patients' survival for 5 years is only 40%.
If treatment is not carried out at all, then 90% of patients die within two years after the diagnosis of peripheral cancer of the upper lobe of the right lung.
Diagnosing the disease in the early stages can be done with the help of fluoroscopy, so you should not neglect the annual professional examinations, especially since our life depends on it. Cancer is a very insidious disease, which at the first stages does not want to manifest itself, and at later times it is too late to do anything.
Prevention
Preventive measures are currently quite relevant, given the high mortality from lung cancer and the frequent occurrence of the disease. The main preventive measures include:
- Treatment and prevention of inflammatory lung diseases.
- Complete cessation of smoking.
- Therapy of benign tumors in the lungs.
- Neutralization of harmful factors in the workplace.
- Avoiding the effects of carcinogenic factors in everyday life.
- The passage of fluorography at least 1 time per year.
All these measures cannot guarantee 100% that this disease will not overtake you, but the risk of oncology will significantly decrease. A careful attitude to yourself and your health will allow you to detect the disease in the very early stages when treatment can give a good result.