Lung cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs. There are two kinds of lung cancer. First, small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and second is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). There is also a third: small cell and large cell carcinoma. The main cancer is NSCLC, which accounts for ¾ of cases.
Lung cancer: several symptoms
Among the most common symptoms of lung cancer, we can mention weight loss, bloody cough, frequent bronchitis, difficult breathing or shortness of breath. But, none of these symptoms will alert you to prevent the disease before it shows up. Symptoms appear few and a diagnosis is not made until the disease is at an advanced stage.
This means that you must take action beforehand to prevent these symptoms from appearing. Smoking is the most notable cause of lung cancer. Smokers have a higher risk of being affected by cancer of the lung, throat, stomach, but also heart attacks, emphysema or even asthma.
A person who consumes more than one packet per day has a 20 to 25 times higher risk of developing lung cancer than a person who has not smoked. And even if not all lung cancers are caused by cigarettes, they are. in 90% of cases. But, you can have this pathology in different ways.
Radon exposure
Radon is a gas that is naturally released from the earth’s crust. It accumulates in poorly ventilated places. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer following cigarette smoking, and the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.
It all depends on the radon level in your home and whether you are a smoker or have ever smoked. Thus, smokers are more exposed to the increase in their risk of cancer due to radon because their lungs are damaged. Children and developing fetuses are also vulnerable to radiation.
asbestos
Exposure to asbestos is also an element of the risk of having lung cancer. It is a mineral that comes in the form of long fibers. Despite being banned in the 1980s because of its dangerousness, it was used in many insulation materials. Many people have come into contact with asbestos unknowingly sometimes. Others are exposed to asbestos in their workplace.
The disease that develops from regular exposure to asbestos is called mesothelioma. It’s cancer of the lung wall. This condition develops when malignant cells grow in your mesothelium, the lining that covers your body’s internal organs. A protective mask is necessary if you work in a risky area.
The atmospheric pollution
Even though air pollution is a less regular cause of lung cancer than the previous two causes, there are instances where air pollution can cause serious lung disorders such as lung cancer. Thus, scientists analyzed the medical records of 50,000 people for twenty years, and examined information related to the annual levels of air pollution in the municipalities in which the people lived.
Lung cancer mortality rates were compared with pollution levels. This results in an unfavorable factor for people living in the air pollution of large cities.
Exposure to chemicals in the environment
Every day, an increasing number of chemicals are added to your body burden. A scientific study highlighting the effects of pollution pointed out that laundry workers had a 25% higher risk of death from cancer than the general population. These employees presented a greater risk of cancer of the tongue and lung.
Another study pointed out that the exposure of workers to beryllium, a metal often used in the manufacture of sporting goods, was responsible for the onset of lung diseases. Up to 30% of employees who were sensitized to the metal died of chronic berylliosis. In addition, a study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine indicated the link between exposure to beryllium and lung cancer.
