Lung cancer: the most common cancer in men

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers, not only among men, but also in the entire world population. Research conducted in numerous research units proves that its high mortality is caused by the late stage of its development, in which it is detected.

Lung cancer in numbers

The main cause of the appearance and development of lung cancer is cigarette smoking. Smoke inhaled during smoking contains many carcinogenic substances – it affects not only active but also passive smokers, i.e. people exposed to smoke. It is estimated that about 90% of cases are caused by smoking. Other causes of lung cancer include exposure to substances such as heavy metals, asbestos and air pollution. The reason for the development of lung cancer may also lie in genes which means that specific mutations are responsible for it. People with a family history of multiple lung cancer cases are a particularly vulnerable group.

How is lung cancer diagnosed?

The most common symptoms of lung cancer are:

• cough;
• shortness of breath;
• wheezing noise;
• coughing up mucus with blood;
• hoarseness;
• fatigue;
• significant weight loss;
• pain in the chest.

In addition to the symptoms mentioned above, many patients complain about difficulty with swallowing, dizziness and headaches. However, it should be remembered that in the initial stage, lung cancer often does not manifest itself at all or the symptoms are so nonspecific that it is impossible to clearly assign them to this disease.

What tests should be performed?

Due to symptoms that often do not indicate that the patient has cancer, many find out about it by accident, for example during an X-ray due to completely different medical indications. Several types of tests are used to detect lung cancer:

• X-ray– it’s the basic diagnostic tool. The images obtained with it are able to show any anomalies, which usually appear as brighter spots in the image; they may differ from each other depending on the location.
• Computed tomography (CT) – this test plays a very important role in the diagnosis of lung cancer. It uses electromagnetic rays, which allow for obtaining many images-cross-sections of the examined area, e.g. the chest. This creates an anatomical image of the patient's internal organs.
• Emission tomography (PET) – this study goes beyond anatomy. It allows you to get an image that shows changes in the functioning of the organs, even if they have not yet become visible and were not visible during other examinations. At the same time, it is a supplement to the examination performed with a computer tomograph. In the case of lung cancer, it allows for a precise assessment of whether there are any metastases on the lymph nodes or outside the chest.

In addition, tests such as blood count and urine tests are also used to rule out comorbidities. For more accurate diagnostics, tumor markers (CAE and CA125) are used - they allow detecting changes in the body at a very early stage.

How many years does lung cancer develop?

Patients with lung cancer may not know for many years that in their body this disease is being developed. Why? It’s because at an early stage, this cancer usually does not cause any physical changes and is asymptomatic. In many cases, they appear at a more advanced stage which is caused by spreading the tumor to the inner part of the lungs. Patients ignoring symptoms and avoiding visiting a doctor further delay diagnosis. There is high awareness of the cause of lung cancer and most people are aware that smoking is a major factor. However, keep in mind that by asking "after how many years of smoking can you get cancer?" you won’t get a definite answer. Every year from the moment of quitting smoking completely, the risk of lung cancer decreases, but the process of lung full recovery takes up to several years.

Lung cancer prevention

The most effective method of lung cancer prevention is to avoid harmful factors. The prevention of lung cancer includes:

• not smoking;
• avoiding passive smoking;
• leading a healthy lifestyle.

Despite quitting smoking, the risk of lung cancer is still high. Experts at John Hopkins Medicine recommend that people who smoke heavily (especially those who started smoking at a young age or have smoked for many years) complete a full lung scan every year for at least 15 years. The risk of developing the disease also increases with age, so you should take care of regular tests, such as X-ray, tomography or sputum smear tests.