Contrary to other types of cancers where researchers are not entirely sure of why they form, there is a pretty good understanding of the risk factors associated with lung cancer and how to prevent it in most people.
What is Lung Cancer?
ung cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in the United States, affecting more than 200,000 persons every year and accounting for almost 30 percent of all cancer deaths each year. Lung cancer refers to the abnormal proliferation of otherwise healthy cells in one or both lungs, creating growths or tumors that can severely reduce a person’s ability to breathe.
Lung cancers are typically divided into two groups: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
SCLC is the most aggressive type of lung cancer; it grows and spreads very rapidly and they tend to be discovered at very advanced stages. SCLC comprises 10 to 15 percent of all lung cancers.
On the other hand, NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, found in about 80 to 85 percent of all lung cancer patients. This type of cancer also has several subtypes depending on the type of lung cell it originated from, and it is the most common lung cancer among non-smokers.
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Who is at Risk of Developing Lung Cancer?
The most common and well-known cause of lung cancer, smoking tobacco is responsible for about 80 percent of lung cancer deaths. It is believed that smoking causes lung cancer – and contributes to many other types of cancer – by damaging healthy cells on the lining of the lungs. As the tissues become increasingly damaged your body tries to repair them, but with repeated exposure to smoke cells that were once healthy begin to behave erratically.
Unfortunately, non-smokers are also at risk of developing lung cancer if they are continuously exposed to tobacco smoke. In fact, secondhand smoke, or inhaling the smoke of others accounts for more than 7,000 lung cancer deaths every year.
Up until the early 1980s, these minerals were common in American homes in the form of wall linings, roof insulators, paint coatings, etc. However, beginning in the 1930s research studies began circulating about the dangers of asbestos exposure and the increased risk for lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other respiratory conditions. Though asbestos is not used nearly as much today as it was once used, it is still responsible for about four percent of all lung cancer deaths.
Exposure to radon is the second most common cause of lung cancer for both smokers and non-smokers, and the number one cause of cancer among non-smokers. Radon is a radioactive gas that is tasteless, odorless, and colorless, which makes it hard for people to know when they are being exposed to it.
How is Lung Cancer Diagnosed?
Lung cancer is typically diagnosed through an X-ray or other types of imaging tests. Chest X-rays are typically performed when a person goes to the doctor with some form of respiratory complaint, including a persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest or back pain, hoarseness, etc.
A chest X-ray may reveal abnormalities or growths that signal the presence of lung cancer, however, CT scans can pick up smaller lesions that might not be visible on an X-ray. Other ways to diagnose lung cancer include a sputum cytology, which is an analysis of the cells in your sputum (phlegm) to see if there are any cancer cells present, or a biopsy to evaluate abnormal cells from a tumor.
How is Lung Cancer Treated?
Lung cancer treatment depends on many factors, including the stage of the disease, the medical history of the patient, and the type of lung cancer. The following treatments – of a combination of a few of them – are some of the most common procedures to treat lung cancer:
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Lung Cancer Clinical Trials
Some types of lung cancer can be very aggressive and unresponsive to treatment, which is one of the reasons why researchers conduct clinical trials to test new treatment options. A clinical trial is a voluntary research study designed to test a new medication, procedure, screening test, etc. to assess its safety and effectiveness before it is released to the general public.
Though the medications or interventions in a clinical trial are still at the experimental phase, some individuals decide to enroll in these types of studies because it gives them access to new treatments and specialized medical care before it is available to all patients.
If you or a family member is interested in becoming a lung cancer clinical trial volunteer, contact your doctor or local hospital/university to inquire about any local studies actively recruiting participants.
ClinicalTrials.gov: Recruiting Studies | Lung Cancer | Last update posted in the last 300 days Studies found on ClinicalTrials.gov by a search of: Recruiting Studies | Lung Cancer | Last update posted in the last 300 days
- Pamiparib for Consolidation Treatment of Unprogressed LS-SCLC After Concurrent Chemoradiotherapyon August 2, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Condition: Limited Stage Small Cell Lung CancerIntervention: Drug: PamiparibSponsor: Fudan UniversityRecruiting
- Evaluating Efficacy and Safety of Anlotinib Combined With Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Consolidation Immunotherapy for Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Canceron August 1, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Efficacy and SafetyInterventions: Drug: Anlotinib; Drug: Chemotherapy; Radiation: Radiotherapy; Drug: ImmunotherapySponsor: Sun Yat-sen UniversityRecruiting
- The Effect of Chronic Stress on Efficacy of ICIs in Ⅲ-Ⅳ Lung Cancer Patientson July 28, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Lung Cancer; Chronic Stress Disorder; Immune Checkpoint InhibitorsInterventions: Other: Gut microbiota detection; Other: Peripheral immune cells signature detactionSponsor: Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityRecruiting
- Observational Trial to Predict Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Non-Small Cell Lung Canceron July 28, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Non Small Cell Lung Cancer; Metastatic Non Small Cell Lung Cancer; NSCLC; Metastatic NSCLC - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerIntervention: Procedure: Core needle biopsySponsor: ElephasRecruiting
- Camrelizumab Combination With SBRT and Concurrent Chemotherapy Treated Stage IV Oligometastatic Non-small Cell Lung Canceron July 25, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Condition: Non-small Cell Lung Cancer MetastaticInterventions: Drug: Camrelizumab; Radiation: stereotactic body radiation therapy; Drug: ChemotherapySponsor: Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Research InstituteRecruiting
- A Single-arm Trial of Atezolizumab/Platinum/Etoposide for the Treatment of Advanced Large-cell Neuroendocrine Cancer of the Lungon July 22, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Condition: Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the LungIntervention: Drug: AtezolizumabSponsors: Technische Universität Dresden; Roche Pharma AGRecruiting
- Study of Tislelizumab for Locally Advanced or Oligometastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Plus Tislelizumab ± Bevacizumab and Definitive Concurrent Chemoradiation Therapy ± Anlotinibon July 21, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Condition: Stage III Non-small Cell Lung CancerInterventions: Drug: Neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy; Drug: Bevacizumab; Radiation: Radiotherapy; Drug: Chemotherapy concurrent with radiotherapy; Drug: Antivascular therapy concurrent with radiotherapy; Drug: TislelizumabSponsor: Sun Yat-sen UniversityRecruiting
- Neoadjuvant Lazertinib Therapy in EGFR-Mutation Positive Lung Adenocarcinoma Detected by BALF Liquid Biopsyon July 21, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Condition: Non Small Cell Lung CancerIntervention: Drug: Neoadjuvant lazertinibSponsors: Konkuk University Medical Center; Yuhan CorporationRecruiting
- Lung Nodule Detection Using Ultra-long FOV PET/CTon July 19, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Condition: Lung CancerInterventions: Drug: 18F-FDG; Radiation: PET/CT imagingSponsor: University Medical Center GroningenRecruiting
- Liquid Biopsy for Early Non-small Lung Cancer Detectionon July 18, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Condition: Non Small-cell Lung CancerInterventions: Diagnostic Test: Liquid biopsy for aberrant DNA methylation analysis - Indeterminate pulmonary nodule; Diagnostic Test: Liquid biopsy for aberrant DNA methylation analysis - Known lung cancer for surgical resection; Diagnostic Test: Liquid biopsy for aberrant DNA methylation analysis - Healthy volunteerSponsors: University of Arizona; National Cancer Institute (NCI)Recruiting
- Sintilimab Combined With Anlotinib for Perioperative Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Based on MRD Evaluationon July 15, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Minimal Residual Disease; Immunotherapy; Anti-angiogenesisInterventions: Drug: sintilimab combined with anlotinib; Drug: sintilimab monotherapySponsor: Shanghai Chest HospitalRecruiting
- A Study of Dato-DXd in Chinese Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Triple-negative Breast Cancer and Other Solid Tumors (TROPION-PanTumor02)on July 15, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Triple Negative Breast CancerIntervention: Drug: Datopotamab Deruxtecan (Dato-DXd)Sponsors: AstraZeneca; Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.Recruiting
- Lung Cancer. Mayo Clinic (Nov. 16, 2018) Recovered from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lung-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20374620