Cigarette smoking increases the chance of lung cancer, says the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adding that, cigarette smoking is linked to about 80% to 90% of lung cancer deaths.
Other factors which increase risks of lung cancer are:
- Inhaling substances such as asbestos, arsenic and diesel exhaust
- Personal or family history of lung cancer – if a person’s parents, brothers or sisters, or children have had lung cancer
- Radiation therapy to the chest – Cancer survivors who had radiation therapy to the chest are at higher risk of lung cancer
How to reduce your risk of getting Lung Cancer
The risks of getting the lung cancer can be reduced by:
- Not smoking cigarettes
- Avoiding second hand smoke or smoke from other people’s cigarettes, cigars, or pipes.
- Avoiding getting into contact with substances that may pose a risk at home or at work
Symptoms of Lung Cancer
Different people may present with different symptoms for lung cancer.
For instance, some people may have symptoms related to the lungs, whilst others just have general symptoms of not feeling well. According to the CDC, most people with lung cancer don’t have symptoms until the cancer is advanced.
The symptoms may include:
- Coughing that gets worse or doesn’t go away
- Chest pains
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Coughing up blood
- Feeling very tired all the time
- Weight loss with no known cause
Other symptoms may be repeated bouts of pneumonia and swollen or enlarged lymph nodes (glands) inside the chest in the area between the lungs.
Living with Lung Cancer
Having a Survivorship Care Plans helps.
This is a record of treatment history, as well as any check-ups or follow-up tests needed in the future. It may also list possible long-term effects of the treatments, and ideas for staying healthy.
