
Lung cancer is a serious diagnosis that requires expertise and compassionate care. Knowing the symptoms, therapy and treatment options for lung cancer available to you and your loved ones could save a life. Altru Cancer Center offers several types of cancer treatments and therapies, as well as lung cancer screenings and other preventive measures to help you live a healthy, happy and cancer-free life.
Altru Cancer Center providers also have access to experts at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic through the Mayo Clinic Care Network, giving you access to advanced cancer treatments and, in some cases, eliminating the need for you to travel far from home for lung cancer treatment.
Lung cancer occurs when tumors form in the lungs—most commonly, in the cells that line the lungs’ air passages.
There are two main types of lung cancer: small cell and non-small cell.
Lung cancer is the No. 1 most common type of cancer (after skin cancer) and the leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women across the United States. Almost 25% of all cancer deaths are caused by lung cancer.
The most common risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. Smoking causes 80% to 90% of all lung cancer cases.
Other risk factors of lung cancer may include:
The earlier you began smoking, the more cigarettes you smoke per day and the longer you smoke all increase your lung cancer risk. For this reason, quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your lung cancer risk. Lowering your exposure to other harmful substances, such as asbestos and radon, can also help reduce your lung cancer risk.
If you’re ready to quit tobacco, our specialists are here to help. Call 701.780.5347 to set up an appointment with a specialist. Tobacco counseling is covered by most insurance companies. Contact your health insurance company to see if tobacco counseling is included in your health insurance plan.
Symptoms of lung cancer may not appear until the cancer has advanced to later stages. Lung cancer symptoms may include:
As lung cancer symptoms usually do not appear until the cancer is at more advanced stages, lung cancer screenings can help find the cancer at its earlier, more treatable stages. Screenings are done with low-dose CT scans. They are performed yearly for patients who have no symptoms and are considered high-risk for lung cancer.
Speak with a primary care provider about referral for a lung cancer screening if the following statements apply to you:
If your provider sees something on your scan, he or she may also perform additional imaging tests, blood tests, lab tests or lung biopsies to diagnose lung cancer.
Treatments for small cell and non-small cell lung cancers are different, and treatments also depend on the stage and severity of lung cancer.
Common types of lung cancer treatment include:
The oncology experts at Altru can help you navigate our services for lung cancer. Call 701.780.5400 to speak with someone on our team.
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