What is lung cancer?
Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells
in one or both of the lungs. While normal lung tissue cells
reproduce and develop into healthy lung tissue, these abnormal
cells reproduce rapidly and never grow into normal lung tissue.
Lumps of cancer cells (tumors) then form and disrupt the lung,
making it difficult to function properly.
More than 87% of lung cancers are smoking related.
However, not all smokers develop lung cancer. Exposure to
other carcinogens such as asbestos and radon gas also increases
an individual's risk, especially when combined with cigarette
or cigar smoking.
More Americans die each year from lung cancer than from
breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers combined. Approximately
172,570 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2006,
accounting for 13% of all new cancer cases.
An estimated 163,510 Americans will die in 2006 from
lung cancer, accounting for 28% of all cancer deaths.
Annually, lung cancer kills more men than prostate cancer
and more women than breast cancer.
While overall cancer incidence rates are declining, lung
cancer incidence rates among women continue to rise. Between
1960 and 1990, deaths from lung cancer among women increased
by more than 400%.
An estimated 79,560 women in the U.S. will die this year
from lung cancer. An estimated 93,010 men in the U.S.
will die this year from lung cancer. Lung cancer is the second
most common cancer among African American men and women, and
kills more African Americans than any other cancer.
Detection of changes in the cells of the base lining of
the lungs from normal to pre-cancerous (dysplasia)is avilable
today. There are already many treatments under investigation
that may be used to successfully treat these dysplastic cells.
In addition, new studies are helping investigators determine
at what point chemoprevention becomes an appropriate option
for pre-treating lung cancer.
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