Lung cancer

Lung cancer is the second fastest growing type of cancer in the world, surpassed only by the number of skin cancer cases. Oncology considers that there are three main types of lung cancer:

1. Non-small cell lung cancer: It is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85% of cases and one of its characteristics is that it does not spread quickly. There are three subtypes: Adenocarcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Large Cell Carcinoma.
2. Small cell carcinoma: It represents about 20% of lung cancer cases. It is a more aggressive type and spreads quickly.
3. Lung carcinoid tumor: A rarer type, it is identified in about 5% of registered cancer cases. Also called neuroendocrine tumors, they grow slowly and rarely spread to other organs.

The main factor responsible for the emergence of lung cancer is still smoking, active or passive. Early detection is the determining factor for successful treatment of this disease. The biggest problem is that lung cancer is asymptomatic most of the time and when symptoms arise, they can be confused with other diseases.

The main symptoms of lung cancer are:

• Persistent cough with or without blood
• Chest pain that gets worse with deep breathing, laughing, or coughing
• Hoarseness
• Lack of breath and tiredness
• Loss of appetite and weight
• Repeated episodes of pneumonia and bronchitis or persistent episodes of these diseases