Cancer Articles (Dr. S.N White)

Lung Cancer Lung cancer develops slowly; it can be present for 10 to 20 years without causing noticeable symptoms. The most common symptoms a cough, a wheeze, or an ache are easy to ignore. It is especially easy for a heavy smoker to ignore them, since smoker's cough and shortness of breath are often a way of life for a long time smoker. The cough is usually the result of a growing cancer blocking an airway and is the attempt of the body to get rid of a foreign object stuck in the lung. In some cases, the sputum coughed up contains streaks of blood. Chest pains, usually resulting in a persistent ache, can be early symptoms, as are recurring attacks of pneumonia or bronchitis. Persistent shoulder and arm pains can also sometimes signal the presence of lung cancer. Those Most Likely to Get Lung Cancer  • Age 50-64 and live in a city • Have smoked one or more packs a day for 20 years or longer and or began to smoke before age 20 and still smoking • Smoke and work in an ind...

Lungs: CYSTS, TUMORS AND THEIR REMOVAL An X ray of the chest provides a view of both lungs, an outline of the heart and of the diaphragm muscle, and all the ribs. Such an X ray may reveal changes in the size or configuration of structures or the presence of densities or shadows that are not normal. Modern X-ray techniques and the simplicity of the chest X ray as a survey and routine preemployment procedure taken in the asymptomatic individual can lead to early diagnosis of lung diseases. Not all spots are tumors. Some are infections, others are defects with which one was born, and still others are benign growths. Unfortunately there is a high incidence of cancer of the lung. All abnormalities disclosed by the chest X ray or brought to the physician's attention by a cough, wheeze or blood spitting require investigation. Any single abnormality of the lung can be due to a number of causes, either serious or inconsequential. Thus a lung spot may, among others, be a cancer, tuber...