How does lung cancer start?
Lung cancers typically start in the cells lining the bronchi and parts of the lung such as the bronchioles or alveoli. A thin lining layer called the pleura surrounds the lungs. The pleura protects your lungs and helps them slide back and forth against the chest wall as they expand and contract during breathing.
What do cancerous lungs look like?
If you have any symptoms of lung cancer, your doctor may order a chest X-ray. A chest X-ray of someone with lung cancer may show a visible mass or nodule. This mass will look like a white spot on your lungs, while the lung itself will appear black.
What happens in lung cancer?
Lung cancer occurs when cells divide in the lungs uncontrollably. This causes tumors to grow. These can reduce a person’s ability to breathe and spread to other parts of the body. Lung cancer is the third most common cancer and the main cause of cancer-related death in the United States.
Where is lung cancer usually located?
The most common types of lung cancer are those found right in the lungs. Other rarer types of cancer may also occur in the lungs and chest wall.
What are symptoms of lung cancer in humans?
What Are the Symptoms of Lung Cancer?
- Coughing that gets worse or doesn’t go away.
- Chest pain.
- Shortness of breath.
- Wheezing.
- Coughing up blood.
- Feeling very tired all the time.
- Weight loss with no known cause.
Is lung cancer fast growing?
It usually starts in the breathing tubes (bronchi) in the center of the chest. Although the cancer cells are small, they grow very quickly and create large tumors. These tumors often spread rapidly (metastasize) to other parts of the body, including the brain, liver, and bone.
How can you prevent lung cancer?
There’s no sure way to prevent lung cancer, but you can reduce your risk if you:
- Don’t smoke. If you’ve never smoked, don’t start.
- Stop smoking. Stop smoking now.
- Avoid secondhand smoke.
- Test your home for radon.
- Avoid carcinogens at work.
- Eat a diet full of fruits and vegetables.
- Exercise most days of the week.
What organ does lung cancer affect?
Lung cancer begins in the lungs and may spread to lymph nodes or other organs in the body, such as the brain. Cancer from other organs also may spread to the lungs.