Cancer Facts and Figures – Cancer Statistics 2010

The most common cause of lung cancer is smoking. There are various determinants that are accounted for while considering the chances of each smoker developing lung cancer, like, the age he/she started smoking, the period for which he/she has been smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked per day.

Passive smoking, which involves inhaling someone else’s cigarette smoke also increases the risk of getting lung cancer.

Other causes of lung cancer include:

1. Exposure to cancer causing agents like asbestos, coal products, arsenic, chloromethyl, etc. during a job.
2. Exposure to radiation because of one’s occupation, like repeated x-rays although this is quite un-common.
3. Radon gas. It occurs in soil and rocks in certain areas.

There comes a time in everyone’s life when one thinks to himself, “What if I have HIV?” “What if I have cancer?” and so on. Here I am going to tell you the symptoms of lung cancer so that the frequently asked question, “What are the symptoms of lung cancer?” is answered.

1. General – A cough, a change in a persistent cough, shortness of breath, phlegm having blood in it, loss in appetite and weight-loss.
2. Less common (Associated with more advanced lung cancer) – Hoarse voice, difficulty in swallowing, finger clubbing, swollen face caused by Superior Vena Cava Obstruction (SVCO), swollen neck caused by enlarged lymph nodes and pain under right side of the ribs.
3. Pancoast tumours – Drooping or weakness in one eye lid, pupil size reduces in tha eye, no sweat on that side of the face and severe shoulder pain. (Horner’s syndrome)

Odd symptoms – Numbness in fingers and toes, weak muscles, dizziness, breast swelling in males and increased tendency for blood clots.

The survival rate of cancer can be calculated differently depending on the stage or race and sex. The relative survival rate is computed by measuring the survival of lung cancer patients in comparison with the normal population to estimate the effect of cancer.

Survival rate for cancer for the 5 year period from 1997-2002 by race and sex was:

a)      13.4% for white males

b)      10.5% for black males

c)      17.4% for white females

d)     14.5% for black females

Based on the stage, the survival rate of cancer patients is, based on historical data, given below:

a)      16% of the cases are diagnosed while the cancer is still confined to the primary stage (localized stage). The survival rate for patients diagnosed at this stage is 49.3%.

b)      37% of the cases are diagnosed after the spread of the cancer to regional lymph nodes or beyond the primary site. The survival rate for these patients is 15.5%.

c)      39% of the lung cancer cases are diagnosed when the cancer has already metastasized. The survival rate here is 2.1%.

Finally, 8% of the lung cancer cases diagnosed had staging that was unknown. The survival rate in these cases was 7.9%.

Patients with stage IV lung cancer only have two options. They can either undergo chemotherapy or they can choose to get no treatment with comfort care.

But, clinical finding show that when compared to only comfort care, treatment for stage IV patients can improve the overall survival rate.  Plus, chemotherapy may help to relieve some of the symptoms of cancer that the patients experience, in those that experience significant symptoms.

Patients with stage IV of the disease have several options for treatment through chemptherapeutic agents. These include paclitaxel (Taxol) and carboplatin (Paraplatin) and newer agents like vinorelbine tartare (Navelbine), gemcitabinee hydrochloride (Gemzar), docetaxel (Taxotere) and combinations of the above treatments with cisplatin (Platinol).

Stage 3 has three groups depending on the severity of the disease:

1. First, those with abnormal, enlarged lymph nodes, could undergo combination treatment plan involving radiation and chemotherapy. This has cause various side effects though and it is unclear whether survival is improved when surgery is performed after concurrent combination therapy.
2. The second group, those with normal appearing mediastinal nodes, should go for tumor resection surgery. Preoperative chemotherapy or chemo-radiotherapy is another option with a follow up resection of any remaining tumor.

And lastly, the third group which includes those with Stage 3b cancer, a chemo-radiotherapy combination treatment plan is suggested for patients with non-cancerous effusion. Patients with cancerous effusion should try chemotherapy alone instead of therapy with comfort care.

Small cell lung cancer has different rates of survival based on the stage at which it is diagnosed:

1. If diagnosed at the limited stage where the tumor is small and confined to the chest the chances of surviving around two years is roughly 20%.
2. If diagnosed at the extensive stage when the tumor has spread to other organs of the body the chances of surviving two years falls drastically to 5%.

Finally, if diagnosed at the recurrent stage where small cell lung cancer recurs after treatment surviving 2-3 months is the most that can be hoped for.

There are two stages of small cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer’s stagewise prognosis is given below:

1) One third of the people diagnosed with small cell lung cancer have it in the limited stage. The average survival rate of people with this stage of the disease is roughly 3-4 months. This was because of rapid appearance of distant metastasis. Newer treatments are being developed that attempt at changing the sad outlook on this disease.

2) Two thirds of the people diagnosed with small cell lung cancer get it in the extensive stage. If no treatment is given then the life expectancy of these patients is between 6 and 8 weeks. Extensive treatment accompanied with combination chemotherapy increases their life expectancy to 8-10 months.

Non small cell lung cancer prognosis is varied based on the stage at which it is diagnosed. There are four different types of non-small cell lung cancer namely, adenocarcinoma, squamous cell, large cell and bronchoalveolar carcinoma. The treatment for these 4 types is pretty similar though.

1. Stage I – At this stage the tumor has not spread to involve lymph nodes and can be removed surgically. Here, there is a 50-80% chance that the patient will survive for a period of 5 years.
2. Stage II – Here, the tumor has spread to the hilar lymph nodes or the dust wall, diaphragm or mediastinum and the chances of lasting 5 years are roughly 30-50%.
3. Stage III – This stage is divided into A and B. IIIA being the type where the tumor can be removed and having a 5 year survival rate of 10-30% and IIIB being the type where the tumor cannot be removed and chances of surviving 5 years is 5-20%.
4. Stage IV – at this stage the cancer has spread to distant sites and the chances that a person will survive for a period of 5 years is less than 5%, a very poor prognosis indeed.

As growth in the healthcare sector is ballooning, there is an increased demand for properly trained nurses. New theories and methods have emerged and been re-introduced in the profession of nursing in last 20 years since a lot has changed and improved since then. Thus, no surprise that several renown institutes have been developed, which provide CNA training and education. I think it’s a good prospect for cancer patients too, as properly trained CNA nurses provide superior treatment services.

Did you know that study of nursing has also been introduced as a core curriculum subject in schools in different countries? Students are actually encouraged more and more and even they are opting for this profession in their specialization level. The development of a nursing profession is creating a real difference in present day, dynamic healthcare sector.

As this sector is subject to continuous innovation, keeping up with the introduction of latest technologies in this field is vital. The hospitals are getting equipped with the latest and advanced technologies. Nurses are provided with proper guidelines and education to enhance their clinical skills. The working environment of nursing is also improving day by day.

Nurses are being provided attractive rewards and benefits for their hard work. They are also being appointed in the government, military and private hospitals. Due to all this, the present day nursing concept has changed. Malpractices and exploitations have also been significantly reduced in this profession. It has also increased the standard of healthcare in the hospitals, clinics and other healthcare organization. The concept of present day nursing profession is mainly administration. It is involving administration into work so that the profession could handle patient issues in more organized and systematic ways.

One of the most essential personal characteristics in this profession is the provision of compassion, love and care for every patient while taking care of them. It is said that compassion can cure half of the illness, as was shown by Florence Nightingale in her days of serving for wounded soldiers of Crimean war. Perhaps that’s something we can all remind ourselves of from time to time.

There are various different lung cancer types. The common types that it is classified (For example, based on histopathologic [diseased tissue] factors) into, include the following:

1. Small cell carcinoma (or oat cell carcinoma) – Lung cancer that is composed of anaplastic small cells (unspecialized, undifferentiated).
2. Squamous cell carcinoma – Cancer of layered, squamous epithelium (surface cells) of the lungs or bronchi.
3. Adenocarinoma – Cancer of the glandular tissue, or where tumor cells form recognizable glandular patterns during the cancer.
4. large cell carcinoma – Lung cancer composed of large-sized cells that often arise in the bronchi and are anaplastic in nature.
5. Bronch alveolar carcinoma

Mixed and undifferentiated pulmonary carcinomas