Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Lung Cancer, A Simple Guide To The Cancer, Types And Treatments
    Lung Cancer, A Simple Guide To The Cancer, Types And Treatments
    Lung Cancer, A Simple Guide To The Cancer, Types And Treatments
    Ebook276 pages4 hours

    Lung Cancer, A Simple Guide To The Cancer, Types And Treatments

    By Kenneth Kee

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Lung cancer is the most common cancer in Singapore men.
    Smoking (active and passive) contributes to this cancer as does inhalation of asbestos and other toxic chemicals.
    While the incidence of men smoking has decreased there are alarmingly more women who are smoking.
    A lung cancer patient of mine recounts his regret in long term smoking which led to his condition with the breathlessness, loss of weight, heart failure and weakness.
    He eventually succumbed to his illness.
    Just 2 weeks ago a middle aged woman professional of 65 years had her usual annual medical examination.
    To her horror her chest X-ray showed evidence of cancer of the lung.
    CT scan of the lungs and liver showed the presence of Stage 4 cancer of the lung which had spread to the liver.
    She was given 6 months to live.
    She was not even a smoker.

    Lung Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs.
    The cells lining air passages grow and divide until an abnormal mass or tumor is formed.
    There are 2 main types of Lung Cancer:
    1. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
    Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has the most aggressive clinical course of any type of pulmonary tumor, with median survival from diagnosis of only 2 to 4 months.
    2. Non-small cell lung cancer
    a. Squamous cell carcinoma:
    Cancer that begins in squamous cells, which are thin, flat cells that look like fish scales, also called epidermoid carcinoma.
    b. Large cell carcinoma:
    Cancer that may begin in several types of large cells.
    c. Adenocarcinoma:
    Cancer that begins in the cells that line the alveoli.
    d. Other less common types of non-small cell lung cancer are:
    pleomorphic, carcinoid tumor, salivary gland carcinoma, and unclassified carcinoma.
    These types are based on how the cells look under a microscope.
    The Non-small cell Lung cancer often seen in middle aged and elderly persons may take up to 10-30 years to develop.
    Once developed Lung cancers tend to spread quickly because the lungs are richly supplied by blood and lymph vessels.
    In the travel through the lymph vessels, it can cause enlarged lymph nodes.
    If it enters the blood, the cancer cells can spread to the liver, bone, brain or other parts of the body.
    Causes are:
    1. Cigarette smoking is the main cause
    2. Cigar and pipe smoking
    3. Passive smoking in a family where one member smokes
    4. Industrial hazards such as chemicals and smoke emitted at workplace, such as asbestos, coal gas, chromates, uranium.
    5. Radiation therapy to the breast or chest.
    Chest X-ray and MRI of lung can detect Lung Cancer.
    The treatment of cancer consists of Surgery, Radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The choice of treatment depends on the size, extent and the type lung cancer and the general health of the patient. Small cell lung cancer is mostly treated with chemotherapy.
    Non small cell lung cancer can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or a combination of these.

    No one wants cancer or his body cell to becomes mutant
    But when the body mutates and become malignant
    There is nothing much that you can do about it
    All you do is hope the cancer cells can be removed by surgery

    The other treatments in the past is radiation or chemotherapy
    Now there are stem cells, hormone treatment and immunotherapy
    Targeted therapy is focused directly on a particular cluster of cancer cells
    The exact location where the cancer cells dwell

    Avoid smoking if possible; cigarette smoke has 40 types of carcinogens
    Avoid alcohol which can cause cancer of mouth, eosphagus and liver conditions
    Avoid chemicals like asbestos, alphatoxins from nuts and silica
    Avoid sun rays, radiation from phones, viral infections and trauma
    -An original poem by Kenneth Kee

    TABLE OF CONTENT
    Introduction
    Chapter 1 Lung Cancer
    Chapter 2 More Facts of Lung Cancer
    Chapter 3 T

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKenneth Kee
    Release dateSep 30, 2016
    ISBN9781370058167
    Lung Cancer, A Simple Guide To The Cancer, Types And Treatments
    Author

    Kenneth Kee

    Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

    Read more from Kenneth Kee

    Related to Lung Cancer, A Simple Guide To The Cancer, Types And Treatments

    Related ebooks

    Wellness For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Nurse Practitioners Can Do More Than You Might Think

      Oct 17, 2018

      Adults in the United States have a limited understanding of the basic duties that nurse practitioners and physician assistants can perform, according to a new study. “Odds are, if you are a new patient and have been to ‘the doctor’s office’ recently

      1 min read

    • Article

      Life After Cancer

      Nov 16, 2021

      Life After Cancer
      3 min read

    • Article

      Coping with... LUNG CANCER

      Jan 13, 2021

      Primary lung cancer is the third commonest cancer in the UK. Around 47,000 UK people are diagnosed yearly, with 45% aged 75 or over, and slightly more men than women. More than 70 out of 100 UK lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. Other risks inc

      1 min read

    • Article

      Healing The Whole Person

      Jul 24, 2022

      The UK National Health Service reports that one in two people in the UK will develop cancer at some time in their lives. This is a stark and rather frightening statistic, not only because cancer is a leading cause of death but also because the usual

      7 min read

    • Article

      “I Reversed My Stage-4 Cancer”

      Jan 24, 2020

      I am 28 years out from a stage-four ovarian cancer diagnosis. It was missed, over and over, until it was frankly too late and had completely ravaged my body. So, my journey has been one of attending the ‘Save Your Ass University’! It made me so passi

      9 min read

    • Article

      Coping with THYROID CANCER

      Jan 11, 2023

      This cancer is most common in people in their 30s and those over 60. Women are two to three times more likely to develop it than men. It’s usually treatable and in many can be cured completely, although it can sometimes return after treatment. Sympt

      3 min read

    • Article

      A Game Changer For Cancer?

      Jul 30, 2020

      A Game Changer For Cancer?
      4 min read

    • Article

      Coping with LEUKAEMIA

      Feb 1, 2023

      Coping with LEUKAEMIA
      3 min read

    • Article

      Coping with... LUNG CANCER

      Dec 29, 2022

      Coping with... LUNG CANCER
      2 min read

    • Article

      Coping with KIDNEY CANCER

      Jun 23, 2021

      Coping with KIDNEY CANCER
      2 min read

    • Article

      Coping with... BLADDER CANCER

      Jul 8, 2020

      Bladder cancer is the 10th most common cancer in the UK, affecting 10,000 people every year, mostly men, as they are more likely to have been at risk. The significant risk factors associated with developing bladder cancer are exposure to harmful sub

      4 min read

    • Article

      How Cancer Is diagnosed

      Feb 17, 2022

      How Cancer Is diagnosed
      2 min read

    • Article

      Coping with... LIVER CANCER

      Feb 19, 2020

      The liver is the largest organ of the body, containing a variety of cells that perform over 500 jobs, many to clean the blood. The main tasks are: to metabolise fats, proteins and carbohydrates; to produce and excrete bile, aiding digestion; storing

      2 min read

    • Article

      Ask DR PHILIPPA

      Sep 1, 2020

      Q Years ago my husband took some medicated lotion for hair loss, which helped for a while, at least until he stopped taking it! After the menopause my hair has really got thin and is receding round the hairline. Is there a medication I can take? A Ha

      2 min read

    • Article

      Detecting Cancer At The Earliest Stages

      Jul 24, 2022

      Detecting Cancer At The Earliest Stages
      7 min read

    • Article

      KIRSTY LANG Living well

      Sep 4, 2019

      KIRSTY LANG Living well
      5 min read

    • Article

      Can Cancer Be Cured?

      Jan 31, 2024

      Cancer is an ancient disease; tumours have been found in Egyptian mummies, and even in the fossils of dinosaurs. It happens when genes involved in growth and repair go wrong. Affected cells make copy upon copy of themselves, and these new cells start

      2 min read

    • Article

      Coping with OVARIAN CANCER

      May 31, 2023

      ADVICE FROM OUR WOMAN’S WEEKLY DOCTOR Ovarian cancer is commonest in those over 50 and sometimes runs in families. It’s linked to faulty genes, such as the BRCA genes or those affected in Lynch syndrome, which increase the risk of ovarian, breast

      4 min read

    • Article

      Saving Your Skin

      Sep 24, 2023

      Saving Your Skin
      6 min read

    • Article

      Cancer’s Best Medicine

      Nov 21, 2021

      Why do we get cancer, and how do we survive it? Ask the American Cancer Society, and they will point to genes or environmental factors, like smoking or Teflon, booze or red meat, being too fat or being exposed to plutonium, even too much sun. But whe

      3 min read

    • Article

      True Or False

      Oct 29, 2020

      True Or False
      1 min read

    • Article

      The C word

      May 18, 2022

      The C word
      5 min read

    • Article

      Beating Cancer

      Feb 1, 2019

      Is cancer still a death sentence? No. Most cancers are preventable and also treatable. Cancer diagnosis and treatment have grown by leaps and bounds. We know the cause of at least 70 per cent of cancers now, around 60 per cent of cancers are now prev

      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Lung Cancer, A Simple Guide To The Cancer, Types And Treatments

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Lung Cancer, A Simple Guide To The Cancer, Types And Treatments - Kenneth Kee

      Lung Cancer,

      A

      Simple

      Guide

      To

      The Cancer,

      Types

      And

      Treatments

      By

      Dr Kenneth Kee

      M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

      Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

      Copyright Kenneth Kee 2014 Smashwords Edition

      Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

      Dedication

      This book is dedicated

      To my wife Dorothy

      And my children

      Carolyn, Grace

      And Kelvin

      This book describes the Lung Cancer,

      And Different Types and Treatments or in vernacular terms

      (What you need to treat Lung Cancer)

      This eBook is licensed for the personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

      If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

      Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Introduction

      Ode to Lung Cancer

      No one wants cancer or his body cell to becomes mutant

      But when the body mutates and become malignant

      There is nothing much that you can do about it

      All you do is hope the cancer cells can be removed by surgery

      The other treatments in the past is radiation or chemotherapy

      Now there are stem cells, hormone treatment and immunotherapy

      Targeted therapy is focused directly on a particular cluster of cancer cells

      The exact location where the cancer cells dwell

      Avoid smoking if possible; cigarette smoke has 40 types of carcinogens

      Avoid alcohol which can cause cancer of mouth, eosphagus and liver conditions

      Avoid chemicals like asbestos, alphatoxins from nuts and silica

      Avoid sun rays, radiation from phones, viral infections and trauma

      -An original poem by Kenneth Kee

      Interesting Tips about the Lung Cancer

      A Healthy Lifestyle

      1. Take a well Balanced Diet

      2. As usual the treatment of cancer consists of Surgery, Radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

      The choice of treatment depends on the size, extent and the type lung cancer and the general health of the patient.

      Small cell lung cancer is mostly treated with chemotherapy.

      Surgery is not usually suitable because this type of cancer has normally spread at the time of diagnosis.

      Non small cell lung cancer can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or a combination of these.

      Surgery

      Part or whole of the lung can be removed in the treatment of lung cancer.

      After surgery the patient may require assisted ventilation for a short period.

      Physical activity may be limited for a while.

      If the remaining lung is in good condition, the patient may be able to live a normal life.

      Chemotherapy:

      Certain type of lung cancer is sensitive to chemotherapy.

      It is used in combination with surgery and radiotherapy.

      Radiotherapy:

      Radiation may be used in conjunction with surgery or to relieve pressure symptoms

      or pain caused by the lung cancer.

      Targeted Therapy

      Targeted therapy is a treatment that targets the cancer’s specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to cancer growth and survival.

      This type of treatment blocks the growth and spread of cancer cells while limiting damage to healthy cells.

      3. Keep bones and body strong

      Bone marrow produces our blood

      Eat foods rich in calcium like yogurt, cheese, milk and dark green vegetables.

      Eat foods rich in Vitamin D, like eggs, fatty fish, cereal, and fortified milk.

      Eat food rich in Vitamins B and C such as green vegetables and fruits

      Zinc and other minerals are important to the body

      4. Get enough rest and Sleep

      Avoid stress and tension

      5. Exercise and stay active.

      It is best to do weight-bearing exercise such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or lifting weights for 2½ hours a week.

      One way to do this is to be active 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week.

      Begin slowly especially if a person has not been active.

      6. Do not drink more than 2 alcohol drinks a day for a man or 1 alcohol drink a day for a woman.

      Alcohol can affect the neurons and brain cells.

      7. Stop or do not begin smoking.

      It also interferes with blood supply and healing.

      Chapter 1

      Lung Cancer

      Lung cancer is the most common cancer in Singapore men.

      Smoking (active and passive) contributes to this cancer as does inhalation of asbestos and other toxic chemicals.

      While the incidence of men smoking has decreased there are alarmingly more women who are smoking.

      A lung cancer patient of mine recounts his regret in long term smoking which led to his condition with the breathlessness, loss of weight, heart failure and weakness.

      Lung cancer can be hard to treat especially if they are fast spreading.

      He eventually succumbed to his illness.

      Just 2 weeks ago a middle aged woman professional of 65 years had her usual annual medical examination.

      To her horror her chest X-ray showed evidence of cancer of the lung.

      CT scan of the lungs and liver showed the presence of Stage 4 cancer of the lung which had spread to the liver.

      She was given 6 months to live.

      She was not even a smoker.

      She is also a health freak taking organic foods.

      She did not have any symptoms except for some loss of weight.

      What is Lung Cancer?

      Lung Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs.

      The cells lining air passages grow and divide until an abnormal mass or tumor is formed.

      The cells then grow and spread to the rest of the body.

      What are the types of Lung Cancer?

      There are 2 main types of Lung Cancer:

      1. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

      Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has the most aggressive clinical course of any type of pulmonary tumor, with median survival from diagnosis of only 2 to 4 months.

      2. Non-small cell lung cancer.

      a. Squamous cell carcinoma:

      Cancer that begins in squamous cells, which are thin, flat cells that look like fish scales.

      This is also called epidermoid carcinoma.

      b. Large cell carcinoma:

      Cancer that may begin in several types of large cells.

      c. Adenocarcinoma:

      Cancer that begins in the cells that line the alveoli and make substances such as mucus.

      d. Other less common types of non-small cell lung cancer are: pleomorphic, carcinoid tumor, salivary gland carcinoma, and unclassified carcinoma.

      These types are diagnosed based on how the cells look under a microscope.

      The Non-small cell Lung cancer may take up to 10-30 years to develop.

      Thus it is often seen in middle aged and elderly persons.

      Once developed Lung cancers tend to spread quickly because the lungs are richly supplied by blood and lymph vessels.

      In the travel through the lymph vessels, it can cause enlarged lymph nodes.

      If it enters the blood, the cancer cells can spread to the liver, bone, brain or other parts of the body.

      What are the causes of Lung Cancer?

      Causes are related to:

      1. Cigarette smoking is the main cause of lung cancer.

      2. Cigar and pipe smoking is also a source of lung cancer though less than those who smoke cigarettes.

      3. Passive smoking in a family where one member smokes has been to increase the risk of lung cancer by 35%

      4. Industrial hazards such as chemicals and smoke emitted at workplace also increase the risk of lung cancer. Examples are asbestos, coal gas, chromates, uranium.

      5. Being treated with radiation therapy to the breast or chest.

      What are the symptoms of Lung Cancer?

      Symptoms:

      1. Persistent cough which does not improve

      2. Shortness of breath and wheezing due to the pressure of the tumor pressing on the airways.

      3. Production of blood stained sputum

      4. Chest pain especially together with a chronic cough

      5. Sudden unexplained loss of weight

      6. Loss of appetite

      7. General weakness and tiredness

      8. Recurrent chest infections and fever

      9. Hoarseness of voice

      How is the diagnosis of Lung Cancer made?

      1. History and Medical examination especially history of smoking and exposure to chemicals

      2. Chest X-ray to check for lung shadows

      3. Sputum cytology- sometimes the cancer cells may be detected in the sputum

      4. Bronchoscopy- a bronchoscope is passed into bronchi to study the airway while the patient is under general anesthesia.

      Suspicious growth can be taken for biopsy (examination under microscope for cancer cells)

      5. CT Scan and MRI produce 3D images of the lung

      6. Ultrasound or another imaging procedure is used to locate the abnormal tissue or fluid in the lung.

      7. Thoracoscopy:

      A surgical procedure to look at the organs inside the chest to check for abnormal areas.

      An incision (cut) is made between two ribs, and a thoracoscope (a thin, lighted tube) is inserted into the chest.

      Tissue samples and lymph nodes may be removed for biopsy.

      This procedure may be used to remove parts of the esophagus or lung.

      If certain tissues, organs, or lymph nodes can’t be reached, a thoracotomy may be done.

      In this procedure, a larger incision is made between the ribs and the chest is opened.

      What is the treatment of Lung Cancer?

      As usual the treatment of cancer consists of Surgery, Radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

      The choice of treatment depends on the size, extent and the type lung cancer and the general health of the patient.

      Small cell lung cancer is mostly treated with chemotherapy.

      Surgery is not usually suitable because this type of cancer has normally spread at the time of diagnosis.

      You may also have radiotherapy.

      Non small cell lung cancer can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or a combination of these.

      Surgery

      Part or whole of the lung can be removed in the treatment of lung cancer.

      After surgery the patient may require assisted ventilation for a short period.

      Physical activity may be limited for a while.

      If the remaining lung is in good condition, the patient may be able to live a normal life.

      Chemotherapy:

      Certain type of lung cancer is sensitive to chemotherapy.

      It is used in combination with surgery and radiotherapy.

      Radiotherapy:

      Radiation may be used in conjunction with surgery or to relieve pressure symptoms

      or pain caused by the lung cancer.

      Targeted Therapy

      Targeted therapy is a treatment that targets the cancer’s specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to cancer growth and survival.

      This type of treatment blocks the growth and spread of cancer cells while limiting damage to healthy cells.

      What is the prognosis of Lung Cancer?

      The prognosis (chance of recovery) depends on the following:

      1. The size of the lung cancer is important. The larger the cancer, the more likely the cancer will be inoperable

      2. The stage of the cancer (whether it is in the lung only or has spread to other places in the body).

      3. The type of lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer is a rapidly growing cancer.

      4. The patient’s general health.

      For most patients with non-small cell lung cancer, current treatments do not cure the cancer.

      Compared with other cell types of lung cancer, SCLC has a greater tendency to be widely disseminated by the time of diagnosis but is much more responsive to chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

      Because patients with small cell lung cancer tend to develop distant metastases, localized forms of treatment, such as surgical resection or radiation therapy, rarely produce long-term survival.

      With incorporation of current chemotherapy regimens into the treatment program, however, survival is unequivocally prolonged.

      Chapter 2

      More about Cancer Lungs

      Approximately 95% of all primary lung tumors are bronchial carcinomas.

      Metastases in the lung are common and typical sites for the primary tumor include the kidney, prostate, breast, bone, gastrointestinal tract, cervix and ovary.

      Metastases usually develop in the parenchyma and are relatively asymptomatic even when metastases are extensive.

      Carcinoma of the stomach, pancreas and breast may involve mediastinal glands and spread along the lung lymphatics (lymphangitis carcinomatosa), causing progressive and severe breathlessness.

      About the lungs

      When a person inhales, the lungs absorb oxygen from the air and bring the oxygen into the bloodstream for delivery to the rest of the body.

      As the body’s cells use oxygen, they release carbon dioxide.

      The bloodstream carries carbon dioxide back to the lungs, and the carbon dioxide leaves the body when a person exhales.

      The lungs contain many different types of cells.

      Most cells in the lung are epithelial cells.

      Epithelial cells line the airways and make mucus which lubricates and protects the lung.

      The lung also contains nerve cells, hormone-producing cells, blood cells, and structural or supporting cells.

      About lung cancer

      Lung cancer begins when cells in the lung change and grow uncontrollably forming a mass called a tumor, a lesion or a nodule.

      A lung tumor can begin anywhere in the lung.

      A tumor can be cancerous or benign.

      Once a cancerous lung tumor grows, it may or may not shed cancer cells.

      These cells can be carried away in blood or float away in the fluid called lymph that surrounds lung tissue.

      Lymph flows through tubes called lymphatic vessels that drain into collecting stations called lymph glands, the tiny, bean-shaped organs that help fight infection.

      Lymph nodes are located in the lungs, the center of the chest, and elsewhere in the body.

      The natural flow of lymph out of the lungs is toward the center of the chest which explains why lung cancer often spreads there first.

      When a cancer cell moves into a lymph node or to a distant part of the body through

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1