Lung cancer is the the number one disease caused by smoking. This is a recent development as heart disease used to be the number one disease caused by smoking. This development has brought to the forefront the need to find better treatments and cures for lung disease. On the lung cancer eMedicine site it explains in great detail the different types such as small cell and non-small cell lung disease, with non-small lung disease being the most common type of disease to date. Treatments for the different types of non-small cell lung disease are similar to each other if they are in the same stages.

Lung cancer eMedicine information shows that lung cancer is the fastest growing smoking related disease in the world. Men and women alike are faring badly in terms of who it affects the most, and in both cases it is the number two cancer killer to date. For men it is only second to prostate cancer and in women it is second only to breast cancer. In the United States men suffer the most from this disease, but in the rest of the world it is becoming more common in women.

It is unusual for it to advance without symptoms. According to eMedicine, common symptoms of this disease are wheezing, coughing up blood, fatigue, pneumonia (often recurring), bone pain, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss, anorexia, and much more. Any person who smokes should not discount any of these symptoms and should seek medical attention should any of these symptoms occur.

Once a person is diagnosed their prognosis is generally not good. In fact, lung cancer eMedicine claims that about 14% of people diagnosed have a chance of survival over five years. This is the lowest rate of expected survival for any type of cancer. However, new treatments are being tested and some types of lung cancer has responded better than others for these new, targeted treatments. Also, eating well, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will also assist in prolonging the live of someone with lung cancer and they should not hesitate to quit smoking, exercise and eat better to increase their quality of life and better their chances of survival.



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Lung cancer is the fastest growing smoking related disease in the world, it is also the fastest growing cancer with almost a million people being diagnosed every year around the world. This kind of growth is cause for alarm, to be sure, but even more alarming is the fact that symptoms do not usually occur to suggest lung cancer until it has progressed beyond a surgically treatable option. When it comes to diagnosing lung cancer there are many options. However, until a doctor has reason to believe that a patient has this disease, there is seldom a reason to run any of these tests creating a situation where the disease has to progress substantially before a diagnosis is made.

The most common way of diagnosing lung cancer is via a chest x-ray. Generally the chest x-ray is order to determine the cause of pneumonia which often results in the discovery this disease, especially in the case of recurring pneumonia in the same section of the lungs. While this is a good way to diagnose cancer, the x-ray is not infallible and can only see masses in front of bones, not behind, so it is not 100% accurate in its diagnosis.

Another common, but less common than x-ray, way for diagnosing lung cancer is with a CT or more commonly known CAT scan. This scan allows doctors to see the smaller masses that an x-ray simply cannot see. The CAT scan is a better technology for this discovery, however it is also more expensive so it is not used without a good cause. The CAT scan can also help doctors determine how far the cancer has spread, and to where.

PET scans and MRI's are excellent ways to check for cancer, however, once again, they are not generally used for the diagnosis of lung cancer, instead they are used to determine the spread of the disease and a PET scan can help doctors establish the amount of cancerous tumors a person has in their body because of a special sugar injected into the body.

Once tumors are found on a persons lungs or throughout the body, diagnosing lung cancer becomes a matter of taking a biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of some of the suspected tissue from the persons body. It is then observed under a microscope to determine if it is a cancerous mass and if it is, what kind of cancer it might be.

The sooner it is diagnosed the better the prognosis for the patient. It is important for anyone who has been exposed to cancer causing agents or who smoke to have themselves checked out for cancer whether they have symptoms or not. If they wait until symptoms occur, it might be too late.



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Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common of the two types of lung cancer representing 80% of all diagnoses. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the less common of the two accounting for the remaining 20%. This disease develops when the cells of the lung start to grow in a rapid and out of control way. This eventually leads to the formation of a cancerous tumour which destroys the surrounding lung cells. There are a number of symptoms related to NSCLC including a constant cough, chest pains and feeling tired all of the time. If you notice these symptoms or have any other reason to suspect you have this cancer you should go see your doctor right away. They will then be able to perform a number of tests for NSCLC which I will be discussing in this article.

1) PHYSICAL EXAMINATION:- A physical examination will begin with a few questions about your overall health. They will then ask you about any symptoms you have been experiencing. They are also likely to ask you about your smoking habits. If the doctor believes you may have NSCLC after the physical exam they are likely to request that you participate in further lung cancer tests.

2) CHEST X-RAY:- If after the physical examination your doctor believes you may be at risk for NSCLC they may suggest an x-ray of your chest. This will allow them to take a picture of the lungs so that they can look for any abnormalities or potential tumours. Depending upon what the x-ray reveals your doctor may follow up with further non-small cell lung cancer tests or start you on a treatment plan.

3) COMPUTERISED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) SCAN:- A CT scan is similar to an x-ray but takes multiple pictures of your lungs. This then allows a three dimensional image of the inside of your lungs to be built. If a chest x-ray revealed any abnormalities a CT scan may be used to allow your doctor to investigate them further. Following the CT scan your doctor will either schedule another type of test or start discussing treatments with you.

4) BRONCHOSCOPY:- This non-small cell lung cancer test allows your doctor to look at the insides of your airways using a bronchoscope (a small, flexible tube containing either a camera or an eyepiece). If a chest x-ray or CT scan have revealed any abnormalities on your lungs a bronchoscopy will allow your doctor to have a look at them first hand. The bronchoscope can also take tissue samples from any abnormalities if necessary. These samples can then be tested in a laboratory for the presence of cancerous cells.

Non-small cell lung cancer is believed to cause approximately 40,000 deaths each year in the UK. Therefore, if you have any reason to be suspicious go see your doctor right away and ask them about NSCLC testing. I hope this article has given you a greater insight into the testing process and let you know what to expect.

Whilst every intention has been made to make this article accurate and informative, it is intended for general information only. Lung cancer is a very serious, life threatening condition and you should discuss any concerns, treatments or lifestyle changes fully with your doctor.


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