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Screening of Lung Cancer (Part 2)

Staging

Once your lung cancer has been diagnosed, your doctor will work to determine the extent, or stage, of your cancer. Your cancer’s stage helps your doctor decide what treatment is most appropriate. Staging tests may include imaging procedures that allow your doctor to look for signs that cancer has spread beyond your lungs, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission testing (PET) and bone scans. Not every test is appropriate for every person, so talk with your doctor about which procedures are appropriate for you.

Continue reading ‘Screening of Lung Cancer (Part 2)’

Screening of Lung Cancer (Part 1)

Screening
Doctors aren’t sure whether you should undergo screening for lung cancer. Even if you have an increased risk of lung cancer — for instance, if you’re a smoker — it isn’t clear that a chest X-ray or computerized tomography (CT) scan can be beneficial. Some studies show that these tests can find cancer earlier, when it may be treated more successfully. But other studies find that these tests often reveal more benign conditions that require invasive testing and expose people to unnecessary risks.

Screening for lung cancer is controversial among doctors. Studies are ongoing to determine what types of tests may be helpful and who would benefit from lung cancer screening. In the mean time, talk with your doctor if you’re concerned about your risk of lung cancer. Together you can determine strategies to reduce your risk and decide whether screening tests are appropriate for you.

Diagnosis
If there’s reason to think that you may have lung cancer, your doctor can order a number of tests to look for cancerous cells and to rule out other conditions. In order to diagnose lung cancer, your doctor may recommend:

Imaging tests. An X-ray image of your lungs may reveal an abnormal mass or nodule. A CT scan can reveal small lesions in your lungs.

Sputum cytology. If you have a cough and are producing sputum, looking at the sputum under the microscope can sometimes reveal the presence of lung cancer cells. Before the test, you may be asked to breathe a mildly irritating mist to help you produce more sputum.

Tissue samples (biopsy). A sample of abnormal cells may be removed in a procedure called a biopsy in order to diagnose lung cancer. Your doctor can perform a biopsy in a number of ways, including bronchoscopy, in which your doctor examines abnormal areas of your lungs using a lighted tube that is passed down your throat and into your lungs; mediastinoscopy, in which an incision is made at the base of your neck and surgical tools are inserted behind your breastbone to take tissue samples; and needle biopsy, in which your doctor uses X-ray or CT images to guide a needle through your chest and into a suspicious lump or nodule to collect cells. A biopsy sample may also be taken from lymph nodes or other areas where cancer has spread, such as your liver.

Source: mayoclinic.com

Putative Tumor Suppressor TIP30

The drug has been in the sights of researchers for quite sometime now and was previously being targeted for melanomas, breast and colon cancer. New studies from Shanghai China are studying the possibility of the drug’s use in treating small-cell lung cancers through comparative study of its effects on both healthy and cancerous lung tissue. Studies in the lab on mice have been successful and they are awaiting approval for human studies to study the possibility of it’s use as treatment for lung cancer that continues to be one of the most deadliest forms of cancer the world over. Continue reading ‘Putative Tumor Suppressor TIP30′

Anti-Cancer Gene Identified

Researchers in the University of Nottingham, have discovered a gene that has stong counter lung cancer abilities named LIMD1 which is responsible for preventing lung and even other forms of cancer from taking hold. The mechanisms of healthy cells turning into cancerous ones is still quite muddled due to the many forms and shapes of the said disease. They have also discovered that the absence of the said gene is responsible for the manifestation of the disease in human lung tissue. The gene was found missing in lab mouse that had lung cancer present and quite abundant in those that didn’t, which means it can be used to devise effective ways of determining the absence or presence of the disease. Continue reading ‘Anti-Cancer Gene Identified’

Urine Test to Detect Lung Cancer

It used to be a widely accepted fact that smoking is a more than sure way of diagnosing lung cancer but that has been proven to be a very inaccurate way of judging the disease’s existence. Urine is the waste product of the body containing liquid waste as well as hormones and other by-products of the human body’s normal functions. A certain metabolite of hormone named NNAL has been found to be a very accurate way of determining the existence of lung cancer which is produced by the body when the disease is present. Continue reading ‘Urine Test to Detect Lung Cancer’

Everybody has Cancer!

A cancer cell or two that is, which researchers have found to be the case, what’s interesting is that there is a gene that prevents it from spreading an it’s been found. All of us have some cancer cells that are dormant which is possible with a gene called LIMD1. This gene tells these isolated cancer cells to stay dormant , an absence of which sends them all over the lung or other parts of the body spreading the disease. Studies are now focusing on supplementing the said gene as a form of treatment that might just work to save the many people who die of lung cancer the world over. Screening tests are also being formulated for a deficiency of the gene which adds to the battery of tests that can be done increasing the chances of early detection.

Profiling Of Lung Cancer

Image Source: biotech-weblog.com

Researchers from the Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center found a new study to be able to predict which tumors would be most likely to respond to traditional therapy or standard first line therapy administration of what is called platinum-based chemotherapy, which works by damaging DNA and interrupting the chain of cellular events that leads to cancer proliferation. The genetic profile of a particular lung tumor can help clinicians make the crucial decision about which treatment to try first. They were able to draw conclusions about which genes were turned on and which were turned off in these samples, and subsequently created a genomic map for cisplatin sensitivity a most commomly used agent in lung cancer treatment.
Most of these patients gain the most benefit from their initial treatment strategy. It could also make a huge difference in the treatment of patients with late-stage lung cancer. This represents a big step in the move toward individualized medicine.

X-Ray

Chest x ray–a painless test that is noninvasive. Non-invasive means that surgery is not done, and that no instruments are inserted in the body, whicle the procedure is done. It creates pictures of the structures that are found inside your chest, like the heart and lungs.

Chest x-rayis done to look for the cause of symptoms, like shortness of breath, chronic cough–a cough that lasts for a long time), and fever.

X rays–they are electromagnetic waves that use ionizing radiation in creating pictures of the inside of your body.

What Really Cures Lung Cancer

Surgery can cure lung cancer, but only one in five patients are suitable for this treatment. If the tumor has not spread outside the chest and does not involve vital structures such as the liver, then surgical removal may be possible, but only if the patient does not also have severe bronchitis, heart disease or other illnesses. These additional complications put too great a strain on the patient for them to be able to stand surgery. Chemotherapy, on the other hand has many research trials are going on. Patients who are asked for their consent to take part in a trial should not be frightened. Hundreds of patients take part in trials to detect any benefit between one treatment regime and another. This research must be done if cancer chemotherapy can continue to improve.

Cigarette Smoking

Time has come and you have decided to kick this vice. If you are interested in quitting smoking, call your doctor. It is never too early to think about quitting. Every encounter with a doctor, whether in the office, the hospital, the emergency department, or clinic, is a good time to talk about smoking and the possibility of quitting. Anyone with unexplained or sudden onset chest pain or difficulty breathing should go to the nearest hospital’s emergency department, probably by ambulance. These conditions may be symptoms of a heart attack, which can be life threatening if not recognized and treated promptly. Tobacco use may cause shortness of breath or chest pain that may be life threatening along with these symptoms