November is lung cancer awareness month … What Is Lung Cancer and Who Can Get It?
Lung cancer is basically the same as many other cancers, abnormal cell growth in either or both lungs. In healthy individuals, the cells within the lungs go about their business duplicating at a normal rate and turning into more and more lung tissues. The lungs continue to function properly and all is well.
But in damaged lungs, this rate of cell duplication becomes uncharacteristically fast yet new lung tissue fails to develop. These damaged (cancerous) cells begin to clump together and ultimately turn into cancerous tumours. Eventually, the tumours begin to interfere with the impacted lungs ability to function normally and that is when the full impact of lung cancer begins to be noticed.
What is strange, is that many patients are diagnosed at late stage, as late as stage 3, even 4 because they are not thought to be at risk, so when presenting with symptoms are not screened and this is probably why most lung cancer goes undiagnosed for so long.
Lung Cancer does not reach this stage overnight …it takes time to develop from the exposure to risks that can cause it, such as asbestos, coal, air pollution, radon, smoking and even second hand smoke.
Yes, it cannot be denied that smoking is a risk, but this fact causes huge stigma for sufferers.
Lung cancer can strike anyone regardless of gender, age or race. Even though it is more likely to strike those who are or who have been a smoker, lung cancer can develop in those who have never taken up this habit.
Stop the stigma and the blame game and support the fighters …anyone can get Lung Cancer
The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation: Chuck it in the bucket
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