Cancer Articles (Dr. S.N White)

How does the doctor determine the stage of lung cancer when it is found?  The staging will include three sets of letters and numbers. The first two grade the tumor size, the second two indicate the nodal involvement, and the third pair relate to whether or not the tumor has metastasized. Is surgery usually used for lung cancer?  Yes, in most cases. The doctor will usually operate if he feels that the entire tumor can be removed or if the operation will remove a portion of the tumor and will help the patient live with the disease better. If the cancer affects only one lobe, it will be removed. If it affects both lobes on the left side or all three lobes on the right side, the whole lung on the involved side may be taken out. If the lymph nodes involved are around the main bronchus and the large blood vessels of the lungs or in the center of the chest, it might be possible to remove all of the malignancy as long as only one lung contains the cancer. The use of surgery and t...

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...