Lung cancer: causes, symptoms, diagnosis and life expectancy

Lung cancer is mainly linked to smoking: the point with Pr. Girard, pneumo-oncologist.

Lung cancer is not uncommon; it is even the third most common cancer, with 46,363 new cases recorded in 2018. But beware: " there is not one lung cancer, but several: it is a very heterogeneous disease ", we immediately warns Pr. Nicolas Girard, pneumo-oncologist at the Institut Curie.

Indeed: if, as their name suggests, all lung cancers initially develop in the lungs, " the cancerous tumor itself can develop from different lung cells, resulting in "types" of cancers very precise " remarks the specialist.

The most frequent lung cancer (it represents about 85% of cases) is non-small cell lung cancer : the malignant tumor then develops thanks to the anarchic multiplication of the cells of the epithelium. glandular lung tissue (which are located on the outer surface of the lung ) or epithelial lung tissue cells (which line the inside of the lung).

Then comes small cell lung cancer (which represents 15% of cases in France and which is also called Small Cell Bronchial Cancer or CBPC) which develops from the neuroendocrine cells of the bronchi.

Lung cancer: smoking remains the main risk factor

To know. Lung cancer affects a majority of men " although this disease is on the rise in women ", notes Prof. Nicolas Girard. The age at diagnosis is around 67 for men, 65 for women. “ Lung cancer is very exceptional in children ” specifies the pneumo-oncologist.

What are the risk factors for lung cancer? Unsurprisingly, "the" main risk factor for lung cancer is tobacco. " Smoking is involved in about 80% of cases, and it is the cause of the vast majority of small cell lung cancers " underlines Prof. Nicolas Girard.

" In smokers, the risk of developing lung cancer increases exponentially and is acquired over time. In other words: quitting smoking "blocks" the progression of the risk but does not allow it to come down " explains the specialist.

However, 15% of lung cancers occur in non-smokers : " there are other risk factors which are rarer, in particular occupational exposure to certain heavy metals, asbestos, arsenic... " notes Pr. Nicolas Girard.

Lung cancer: it usually starts silently

Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, lung cancer begins silently: there are no symptoms. Rarely, one can observe the appearance of a chronic cough, sometimes bloody sputum (hemoptysis), difficulty breathing (dyspnea or shortness of breath), repeated respiratory infections (bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.), loss of appetite or weight loss.

“ In approximately 70% of patients, lung cancer is diagnosed at the metastatic stage, that is to say late, when the cancer has spread to organs other than the lungs, ” explains Prof. Nicolas Girard. In the case of lung cancer, we can thus observe the development of metastases in the brain, liver, bones or even the adrenal glands. "These metastases give symptoms" according to their location ": it can in particular be a question of bone pain, convulsive crises, paralysis

Location: India

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