Since 2012, the first of August has been designated as World Lung Cancer Day. This campaign was first organized by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) in collaboration with the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and the American College of Chest Physicians. But there are no clear details about who organized this first. The important mission of World Lung Cancer Day is to encourage people to screen themselves for this disease.
History of lung cancer
In the 19th century, lung cancer was an extremely rare disease. People of that period did not even know about it. Some studies show that less than 1% or 2% of people are affected by this disease. But at the end of the 20th century, everything turned around, and it affected the most men who suffer from cancer. This disease rapidly grew only after World War II; now, in the 21st century, lung cancer is the most common cancer in all countries, especially in developing countries.
Reasons for lung cancer
- Smoking
- Passive smoking
- Exposure to radon gas
- Family history of lung cancer
Important reason for lung cancer
Cigarette smoking is an important cause of lung cancer. Doctors said that if you inhale the smoke, it contains cancer-causing substances and immediately affects the lung tissues. At first, our body repairs the damage, but over time, the damaged cells behave differently and cause cancer. Passive smoking also causes cancer, but sometimes nonsmokers are also affected by it. Sometimes genetic reasons also cause lung cancer.
Lung cancer and its types
Cancer is a disease in which some cells in our body grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. In lung cancer, the cell Lung cancer is one type of cancer that starts in the lungs. The major types of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and Mesothelioma
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Non-small-cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer. Compare to small cell lung cancer it spreads very slow there are three types of non-small cell lung cancer the types are
- Adenocarcinoma
- Large-cell carcinomas
- Squamous cell carcinomas
This type of cancer cannot spread beyond the lung; it is usually cured by surgery, but in some rare cases, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are used.
Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC)
Small-cell lung cancer spreads very fast and grows rapidly compared to other types of lung cancer. This type is caused mainly by cigarette smoking. The two different types of small-cell lung cancer are:
- Small cell carcinoma
- Combined cell carcinoma
Surgery is mostly not used in small-cell lung cancer because it spreads very fast to other body parts. Chemotherapy is the most common type of treatment for lung cancer because the medicine spreads all over the body and kills the rapidly growing cells outside the lung.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer; over 5% of cancers are mesotheliomas. This type of cancer develops over a long period of time, from 30 to 40 years, because of so much exposure to asbestos. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery are the combined treatments for mesothelioma.
How can I prevent lung cancer?
- If you have never smoked, then don’t try to smoke. Avoiding the smoking habit will drastically reduce the chances of being affected by cancer.
- If you have a habit of smoking, try to quit this habit. This will not only prevent lung cancer but also various diseases.
- Your friends have the habit of smoking; help them get rid of this habit, or else you will avoid such smoking areas for your own health.
- Avoid such environments that contain toxic gases.
- Have a healthy life, eat healthy foods, and exercise every day.
These are some tips to prevent lung cancer. Please check up frequently in the hospital. If we find lung cancer in its early stages, we can diagnose the disease very easily. Have a healthy life, and live a healthy life