compare & contrast essay
Lung Cancer There are many people today that are affected, one way or another by lung cancer and do not really know that much about the disease. It is an uncontrollable growth of a cancerous cell in one or both of the lungs. While normal lung tissue cells reproduce and develop into healthy lung tissue, these cancerous cells reproduce rapidly and never grow into normal lung tissue. Tumors begin to form and the lungs start to function improperly. The main focus of this research paper is lung cancer. Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death between men and women. There are several types, causes, symptoms, stages and treatments of lung cancer. However, other minor topics will be addressed as well. One of the types of lung cancer is non small cell lung cancer. “It is more common than a small cell lung cancer accounting for approximately 85% of all cases of lung cancer. Non small cell lung cancer generally grows and spreads more slowly than small cell lung cancer” (Lung Cancer & Mesothelioma 1). There are three main types of non small cell lung cancer. They are called for the type of cells in which the cancer develops. First, “squamous cell carcinomas often begin in the large bronchi. It tends to remain localized in the chest for longer periods than do other types of lung cancer. The most common form of lung cancer worldwide, squamous cell carcinomas, is diagnosed much more frequently in men than in women. It comprises about 25 to 30 percent of all long cancer cases in the United States” (The Cancer Source Book 256). The second type is Cartagena 2 “Adenocarcinoma, usually beginning in the mucous glands, it is the most frequently diagnosed type of lung tumor, accounting for forty percent of all cases. Women are more likely to develop the adenocarcinoma than any other Non Small Cell Lung Cancer.” Thirdly is a large cell carcinoma. “The least common form of Non Small Cell Lung Cancer, large cell carcinoma occurs in approximately five to fifteen percent of all cases. Tumors may develop in isolation, or in masses. The prognosis is worse than for squamous carcinomas, and tumors tend to be large at the time of diagnosis” (Lung Cancer & Mesothelioma 1). In Lung Cancer & Mesothelioma, the second type of lung cancer is Small Cell Lung Cancer. Small Cell Lung Cancer is less common than non-small cell lung cancer. Small Cell lung Cancer accounts for fifteen percent of all diagnosis, and is most prevalent among smokers. It is also called oat cell cancer, because malignant cells are oat-shaped. Small Cell Lung Cancer is aggressive, and spreads quickly. In approximately seventy percent of cases the cancer has spread to other organs by the time the disease is diagnosis. Once metastasises, a Small Cell Lung Cancer patient is not a candidate for surgery but does respond to chemotherapy (Part II 1). Another type of lung cancer is Asbestos Lung Cancer. “Asbestos is the name of some group minerals that occurs naturally as fibers. These fibers tend to break easily into particles that can float in the air and stick to clothes.” These particular particles are inhaled, and they tend to stay in the lungs, damaging the cells and increasing the risk for lung cancer.