Lung Cancer Overview: Symptoms, Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment

Overview of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, these abnormal cancerous cells can spread beyond the lung into nearby tissue or other parts of the body. This article provides an overview of lung cancer, its causes and risk factors, screening and diagnosis, available treatments, and lung cancer specialists like Dr. Leo Orr.

Types of Lung Cancer

There are three main types of lung cancer:

• Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) - Most common type, accounting for 84% of lung cancer diagnoses.
• Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) - More aggressive cancer that spreads more quickly.
• Lung carcinoid tumor - Rare type of lung cancer that typically grows slower.

Determining the type of lung cancer is an important first step, as it informs prognosis and guides treatment options.

Symptoms of Lung Cancer

Common symptoms of lung cancer include:

• A cough that gets worse or doesnt go away
• Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum
• Chest pain that worsens with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing
• Unintentional weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling weak or fatigue

However, early-stage lung cancer often has no symptoms. This highlights the importance of lung cancer screening in high-risk individuals.

Causes and Risk Factors

The exact cause of lung cancer is unknown, but certain risk factors are known to increase chances of developing the disease.

Smoking and Secondhand Smoke

The biggest risk factor by far is smoking cigarettes. Around 80-90% cases of lung cancer are thought to result directly from smoking. Exposure to secondhand smoke also elevates lung cancer risk.

The carcinogens in tobacco smoke cause genetic damage that can lead to lung cancer. Quitting smoking at any age can significantly lower risk compared to those who continue smoking.

Radon Gas Exposure

Radon is an invisible, odorless gas that occurs naturally from the breakdown of radioactive elements in soil and rocks. It can enter homes and buildings through cracks and pipes in foundations.

Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon testing kits can detect dangerous levels, which can then be mitigated through improved ventilation and sealing foundations.

Other Risk Factors

Other factors associated with increased lung cancer risk include:

• Exposure to other cancer-causing substances like asbestos, arsenic, diesel exhaust, silica, chromium
• Personal or family history of lung cancer
• Radiation therapy to the chest
• Air pollution

Screening and Diagnosis of Lung Cancer

The best way to detect lung cancer early is through cancer screening. This involves tests to look for signs of cancer in otherwise healthy people without symptoms.

Lung Cancer Screening

Annual lung cancer screening with low-dose CT scans is recommended for those at high risk, including:

• Current or former smokers with at least a 20 pack-year history (1 pack/day for 20 years or 2 packs/day for 10 years)
• Those aged 50-80 years old
• Individuals with other lung cancer risk factors

Low-dose CT screening is the best available test to find lung cancer early, when treatment is most effective. It has been shown to lower lung cancer deaths by up to 20% in high risk patients.

Diagnostic Tests

If screening reveals a suspicious lung nodule or someone develops telltale symptoms of lung cancer, further testing is necessary to establish a diagnosis. This can involve:

• Imaging tests - CT, PET, bone scans to assess cancer spread
• Sputum cytology - Microscopic examination of coughed up mucus and phlegm
• Needle biopsy - Using CT scan to guide sample collection from tumor for pathology
• Bronchoscopy biopsy - Inserting tube into airways to collect tissue or fluid samples
• Mediastinoscopy - Visual exam of the chest cavity and tissue sampling
• Thoracentesis - Sample drainage from pleural space with needle to check for cancer spread

These invasive and non-invasive approaches allow confirmation of cancer as well as determining the type, location, stage, and mutations present to guide targeted therapy.

Lung Cancer Specialists

Getting treated by a qualified lung cancer specialist tends to lead to better outcomes. This includes surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists with dedicated training and expertise in lung cancer.

Dr. Leo Orr, MD - Lung Cancer Surgeon

One example is Dr. Leo Orr, a board-certified thoracic surgeon specializing in lung cancer surgery at Northwell Health Cancer Institute in Lake Success, New York. Some background includes:

• Director of Thoracic Surgery
• Specializes in complex lung surgery, including robotic procedures
• Expertise in minimally invasive techniques for lung cancer
• Leading clinical trials investigating lung cancer treatments
• Published research on surgical interventions for lung cancer
• Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

When facing a diagnosis like lung cancer, being treated by a dedicated specialist like Dr. Leo Orr can help ensure the best chances of effective surgery, improved quality of life after treatment, and positive outcomes.

Treatment of Lung Cancer

There are various lung cancer treatment modalities available today. The specifics depend on the type of lung cancer, its stage, mutations present, patient health status, and more. Possible treatments include:

Surgery

Removing the tumor and affected lung tissue surgically offers the best chance at a cure for eligible lung cancer patients. Types of lung surgery include:

• Wedge resection - Removing a small section of lung where tumor located
• Segmentectomy - Removal of a larger portion of lung lobe containing tumor
• Lobectomy - Taking out the entire lobe of lung with the cancer
• Pneumonectomy - Removing the whole lung on side with cancer

Minimally invasive and robotic techniques allow complex lung cancer surgery through smaller incisions resulting in shorter hospitalization and recovery.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs targeting rapidly dividing cells to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. It may be given:

• Before surgery - To try to shrink tumor for easier, more complete removal
• After surgery - To kill any remaining cancer cells post-op to lower recurrence risk
• On its own (primary treatment) - For inoperable cancers, targeted chemotherapy provides main treatment

Chemotherapy acts systemically, reaching cancer cells throughout the body. Side effects like hair loss, nausea, fatigue occur due to impact on healthy rapidly dividing cells.

Radiation Therapy

This uses high energy x-rays or particles to destroy lung cancer cells. It may be administered:

• Before surgery To try to shrink tumor to allow resection while preserving lung function
• After surgery To attack remaining cancer cells near incision site
• On its own Primary treatment for advanced lung cancer to relieve symptoms

Modern techniques like stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) deliver very precise, high dose radiation to tumor while reducing exposure to surrounding healthy lung tissue.

Targeted Therapy

Targeted drugs and immunotherapy work by exploiting specific weaknesses and mechanisms in cancer cells, unlike chemotherapy which indiscriminately kills all rapid dividing cells. Agents may focus on:

• Blocking chemical signals tumors use to grow
• Cutting off blood supply to cancer cells to starve them
• Enhancing the immune system to better recognize and attack cancer

Identifying specific genetic mutations through molecular testing guides use of appropriate targeted therapy for the best chance of response.

Outlook for Lung Cancer Patients

Over the past decades survival rates have slowly but steadily risen, thanks to earlier detection through screening and better treatment options. Today in the U.S.:

• Overall 5-year lung cancer survival rate is around 21%
• If caught before spreading beyond lung, 5-year survival reaches 60%
• Survival is over 80% if caught at the very earliest stages before cancer grows/spreads.

While more advances are still needed, the future is brighter for lung cancer patients. Getting screened, avoiding risk factors, partaking in clinical trials, and consulting specialists like Dr. Leo Orr gives one the best shot possible.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.