Smoking and lung cancer have a very close connection because smoking is thought to be the primary cause of lung cancer. It’s not the only thing that can cause lung cancer, but experts think that almost 90% of all lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. The mechanism behind the connection between smoking and lung cancer is generally related to the chemicals in cigarette smoke. There are approximately 60 chemicals in cigarettes that have been shown to cause cancer, and many of these get stuck in the lungs during the smoking process.
Most of the chemicals that cause the connection between smoking and lung cancer have the potential to damage a person’s deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). This happens because the chemicals attack the cells for a long period of time and cause a lot of inflammation. Eventually, the DNA in those cells may change, and this can make them multiply very quickly, eventually becoming tumors. Sometimes the tumors can be benign, and they will progress very slowly, but in other cases, they can quickly spread in a dangerous way, and these tumors are considered cancerous. When this happens in the lungs, it is called lung cancer.
There has been an attempt to educate the public about the connection between smoking and lung cancer. This has led many people to try to give up smoking, and overall, there has generally been a reduction in lung cancer rates. Most of these improvements have been among men, and incidents of lung cancer among women have actually increased. Some doctors think that women are more likely to develop lung cancer anyway, and there has been a gradual increase in the number of women who smoke over the years.
The symptoms of lung cancer can be quite subtle in the early stages. Some people may experience a cough that won’t go away. Sometimes this cough may not be very severe, but it generally lingers, and in some cases, it may eventually become bloody. Certain people may also experience a dull aching pain in the chest area. Weight loss is a very common symptom, and people may become tired or weak.
Treatment for lung cancer is often difficult, partly because the disease is usually noticed quite late. Once obvious symptoms start to develop, the disease is usually somewhat advanced. Doctors will sometimes attempt chemotherapy, and in some cases, parts of the lung may be removed as a way to get rid of tumors. This approach can work, but in most situations, lung cancer is very likely to spread around the body to other organs or reoccur. The ultimate prognosis for lung cancer is usually bad, and it has a very low survival rate.
