How does lung cancer affect the body?

 Lung cancer is one of the two most common cancers in the world. In India alone, it constitutes about 6.9% of all new cancer cases and 9.3% of all cancer-related deaths in males & females.

Lung cancer begins in the cells of the lungs. It is nothing like cancer that starts somewhere else and spreads to the lungs. The primary symptoms of lung cancer involve the respiratory system, but in later stages, it can spread to distant organs as well.

In all it’s stages, lung cancer is treatable by specialists like Dr. Manish Singhal, the best lung cancer doctor in Delhi NCR.

However, the question we’re answering here relates to lung cancer’s effect on the body as a whole.

Lung cancer’s effect on the body

Lung cancer does not just affect your lungs. It is cancer after all, and it can spread. Once you have a tumor in your lung/s, the cancer cells can easily break off, forming new tumors nearby or anywhere in the body if it enters the lymphatic system or bloodstream. They can travel anywhere then, and this is called metastasis.

Commonly lung cancer spreads to:

-Lymph nodes

-Bones

-Brain

-Liver

-Adrenal Glands

Depending on where the cancer migrates, different organs/systems are affected.

An in-depth look:

• Respiratory system

Most lung cancer patients do not have any symptoms at first. However, if they do, they might have frequent bouts of bronchitis or pneumonia. They can sound hoarse or notice other changes in their voice.

Then comes persistent cough which will eventually become intense and produce mucus. With disease progression, mucus can change color or have blood in it. A hacking cough can cause chest pain which worsens with breathing or cough.

Shortness of breath, wheezing, becoming breathless even on little exertion is seen.

The respiratory system is the first system to be affected by lung cancer, and that is why this is where the primary symptoms are seen, according to top cancer doctors.

• Circulatory and cardiovascular systems

Cancer cells can make their way into the bloodstream and spread through the circulatory system throughout the body.

People with lung cancer can cough up blood, have fatal blood clots, can cause pulmonary embolism, etc. Lung cancer can also spread to the heart or the pericardial sac. (Rare) Radiation toxicity due to lung cancer can damage the cells of the heart.

Ask any oncologist in Noida, pan India, or worldwide, they’ll confirm.

• Immune & excretory systems

If lung cancer has metastasized to nearby lymph nodes, it can form lumps and bumps around your collarbone, neck, or armpits and cause neck or facial swelling. According to experts, some types of lung cancer can cause hormone-like substances to enter the bloodstream and cause “paraneoplastic syndromes.”

If it has spread to the liver, it can cause jaundice or liver pain.

• Central nervous system

Lung cancer, if it has spread to the brain, can cause memory problems, visual changes, dizziness, seizures, numbness of the limbs, weakness of the limbs, an unsteady gait, balance problems, etc. Not only that, but it can also cause Horner’s syndrome, which affects the face & the neck.

• Skeletal and muscular systems

If lung cancer has spread to the bones, it can cause bone and muscle pain, weakened bones, and an increased risk of fracture. If a cancer doctor performs an X-ray, he/she can detect it easily.

Some types of lung cancer are associated with an autoimmune disorder that interrupts the signals from the nerves to the muscles, Lambert-Eaton syndrome.

These are only a few examples. Lung cancer can also affect hormonal balance, weight, appetite, and more.

Winding up

Lung cancer affects more than the lungs. But today, with the advent of modern medicine, it can be treated and managed very well. The best way to do it is to consult an expert of repute like Dr. Manish Singhal, a leading cancer specialist in Delhi NCR.

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How is lung cancer treated?

 Lung cancer has wreaked havoc in many lives around the world. But with the advent of modern treatment, the chances of survival have improved drastically.

The 5-year survival rate for all people with all types of lung cancer is 19%. For women, it is 23%, and for men, it is 19%. Out of the two types of lung cancer, the 5-year survival rate for NSCLC is 24%, compared to 6% for small cell lung cancer.

The treatment options for lung cancer are many. The best treatment option for a patient is determined by the lung cancer doctor in-charge keeping the type, stage, and treatment goals in mind.

Not only that but a mix of different treatments may also be advised depending on the type of lung cancer.

The treatment plan has to be created and agreed upon by a cancer specialist and a patient. An informed decision is important because each treatment option has potential side effects, which can be managed. Get more information about the side effects of lung cancer treatment.

So, if you're a cancer patient, the best way for you to approach treatment is to consult a top specialist like Dr. Manish Singhal, the best lung cancer doctor in Delhi NCR.

Lung cancer treatments

There are two main types of lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer.

Many tests are performed to determine what type of lung cancer it is, what stage it is in, where it has spread, etc.

Not only that, but post lung cancer diagnosis, the cancer doctor may run tests like EGFR to find out if there is any change in the genes of the patient. This is mostly done in non-small cell lung cancer. The results of these tests help your doctor know which treatments will work best for you.

Here are the treatment options:

• Surgery

Surgery can be an option if the cancer is confined to the lungs. For a largely spread lung cancer, cancer doctors may recommend chemotherapy or radiation before surgery to shrink the cancer. Also, if there is a risk of cancer cells being left behind post-surgery, doctors can also recommend chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery.

The procedures include:

1. Wedge Resection-It removes a small section of the lung that contains the tumor along with a margin of healthy tissue.

2. Segmental Resection-It removes a larger portion of the lung but not an entire lobe.

3. Lobectomy-It removes the entire lobe of one lung.

4. Pneumonectomy-It removes an entire lung

• Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells.

It is often used for people with locally advanced lung cancer before or after surgery. It is also combined with chemotherapy therapy sometimes; becoming a primary treatment option along with chemotherapy if surgery is not a viable option. Not only that but for advanced lung cancers that have already spread to other areas of the body, radiation therapy helps relieve symptoms like pain.

• Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses specialized drugs to shrink or kill cancer cells. The drugs can be administered through the veins, orally, or through both. A combination of chemotherapy drugs is given in a series of treatments over weeks or months, with breaks in-between so patients can recover.

In people with advanced lung cancer, chemotherapy can also be used to relieve pain and other symptoms.

• Targeted Therapy

There are several targeted lung cancer treatments. Targeted treatments focus on unique abnormalities present within cancer cells. By remedying these abnormalities, targeted drug treatments specifically attack cancer cells while sparing healthy cells.

Certain targeted therapies only work in people who have cancer cells with specific genetic mutations. To ascertain whether the patient has the said genetic mutations the cancer cells may be tested.

The testing is important; ask a trusted oncologist in Noida or wherever you live about the testing before choosing targeted therapy.

• Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that uses the patient's immune system against the cancer cells.

The body's immune system, which is designed to fight diseases, does not attack the cancer cells because the cells produce proteins that hide them from the immune system. Immunotherapy interferes with the process and allows the immune system to recognize & destroy cancer cells.

There are several more treatments and treatment adjacents, including palliative care to improve quality of life, clinical trial participation for better outcomes, coping with symptoms, alternative medicines, etc.

In conclusion

The treatment a patient receives is entirely dependent on the type of lung cancer, the stage, the spread, and most importantly, the cancer doctor. If you're a lung cancer patient, whether you're newly diagnosed or looking for a second opinion, you can always consult an expert in the area like Dr. Manish Singhal, a cancer specialist in Delhi NCR.

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