| Signs & symptoms of lung cancer
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A cough that does not go away.
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Chest pain, often aggravated by deep breathing.
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Hoarseness.
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Weight loss and loss of appetite.
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Bloody or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm).
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Shortness of breath.
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Fever without a known reason.
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Recurring infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
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New onset of wheezing.
When lung cancer spreads to distant organs, it may cause:
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Bone pain.
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Neurologic changes
(such as weakness or numbness of a limb, dizziness).
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Jaundice (yellow
coloring of the skin and eyes).
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Masses near the surface
of the body, due to cancer spreading to the skin or to lymph nodes
(collection of immune system cells) in the neck or above the collarbone.
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If you have any of these problems, see a doctor right
away. These symptoms may be the first warning of a lung cancer.
Risk factors for lung cancer
Several risk factors make a person more likely to develop
lung cancer:
Tobacco smoking
More than 80% of lung cancers are thought to result
from smoking. The longer a
person has been smoking and the more packs per day smoked, the greater
the risk. If a person stops smoking before a cancer develops, the damaged
lung tissue starts to gradually return to normal. Even after ten years,
the ex-smoker's risk still does not equal the lower risk of a person who
never smoked. However, an ex-smoker's risk is about half the risk of people
who continue to smoke. Cigar smoking and pipe smoking are almost as likely
to cause lung cancer as cigarette smoking.
Nonsmokers who breathe in the smoke of others (also called second hand
smoke or environmental tobacco smoke) are also at increased risk for lung
cancer. A non-smoker who is married to a smoker has a 30% greater risk
of developing lung cancer than the spouse of a non-smoker. Workers who
have been exposed to tobacco smoke in the work place are also more likely
to get lung cancer.
Asbestos
Exposure to asbestos fibers is an important risk factor
for lung cancer. Asbestos workers who smoke have a very high lung cancer
risk which is 50 to 90 times greater than that of people in general. Both
smokers and non-smokers exposed to asbestos also have a greater risk of
developing a type of cancer which starts from the pleura (the layer of
cells that line the outer surface of the lung).
Cancer-causing agents in the workplace
In addition to asbestos and radon, there are other carcinogens
(cancer-causing agents) in the workplace. People at risk include miners
who may breathe in radioactive ores such as uranium, and workers exposed
to chemicals such as arsenic, vinyl chloride, nickel chromates, coal products,
mustard gas, and chloromethyl ethers. Even working with fuels such as
gasoline might increase a person's risk of developing lung cancer. The
government and industry have taken major steps in recent years to protect
workers. But the dangers are still present and those who work in these
conditions should be very careful to avoid exposure.
Marijuana
Marijuana cigarettes contain more tar than tobacco cigarettes.
Also, they are inhaled very deeply and the smoke is held in the lungs
for a long time. Marijuana cigarettes are also smoked all the way to the
end where tar content is the highest. Many of the cancer-causing substances
in tobacco are also found in marijuana.
Recurring inflammation
Tuberculosis and some types of pneumonia often leave
scarred areas on the lung. This scarring increases the risk of the person
developing the adenocarcinoma type of lung cancer.
Personal and family history
People who have lung cancer have an increased risk of
developing another lung cancer. Brothers, sisters, and children of those
who have had lung cancer may have a slightly higher risk of lung cancer
themselves.
Diet
Some reports have indicated that a diet low in fruits
and vegetables may increase the persons chances to get cancer if they
are exposed to tobacco smoke. Evidence is increasing that a diet containing
lots of flavonoids (found in apples and onions as well as other fruits
and vegetables) may be protective against lung cancer.
Gender
Several studies have shown that the lung cells of women
have a genetic predisposition to develop cancer when they are exposed
to tobacco smoke. Many doctors think women who smoke or are exposed to
tobacco smoke, are more likely to have lung cancer than men.
Air pollution
 In
some cities, air pollution may slightly increase the risk of lung cancer.
This risk is far less than that caused by smoking.
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Those at greatest risk are smokers, and the risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. Among men who smoke more than two packs of cigarettes a day, the death rate from cancer of the lung is roughly 15 to 20 times higher than among men who do not smoke. Other factors influencing risk include the number of years of smoking, the age at which smoking commenced, and how deeply the smoker inhales. The best way to prevent lung cancer is to not smoke or be around people who
do (passive smokers). People should not start smoking, and those who already smoke should quit. Everyone should avoid breathing in other people's smoke. People should find out about cancer-causing chemicals they may be exposed to at work and take appropriate protective measures. 
Chemotherapy
