Lung Cancer Screening
FAQs
What do healthy lungs do?
Is lung disease a common health problem?
How would I know if there was something wrong with my lungs?
How can I decrease my chances of lung disease?
What causes lung disease?
How can I find out if I have lung cancer?
How is lung cancer treated?
What do healthy lungs do?
Lungs are the organs that allow us to breathe. Lungs provide an area for oxygen from the air to pass into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide to move out. The cells of our bodies need oxygen in order to work and grow. Our cells also need to get rid of carbon dioxide.
During a normal day, we breathe nearly 25,000 times, and take in (inhale) large amounts of air. The air we take in contains mostly oxygen and nitrogen. But air also has things in it that can hurt our lungs. Bacteria, viruses, tobacco smoke, car exhaust, and other pollutants can be in the air. People with lung disease have difficulty breathing. These breathing problems may prevent the body from getting enough oxygen.
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Is lung disease a common health problem?
Yes. More than 35 million Americans have a chronic lung disease like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The term lung disease refers to many disorders affecting the lungs such as:
• Ongoing obstructive lung diseases such as asthma, chronic
bronchitis, and emphysema
• Infections like influenza, pneumonia and tuberculosis (TB)
• Lung cancer
• Pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis
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How would I know if there was something wrong with my lungs?
Early signs of lung disease can be easy to overlook. Often people with early lung disease say they don't have much energy.
Some common signs of lung disease include:
• trouble breathing
• shortness of breath
• feeling like you're not getting enough air
• a decreased ability to exercise
• a cough that won't go away
• coughing up blood or mucus
• pain or discomfort when breathing in or out
• If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor
immediately.
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How can I decrease my chances of lung disease?
Things you can do to reduce your risk of all lung diseases include:
• Stop smoking.
If you are a smoker, the single most important thing you can
do to stay healthy is stop smoking. Talk to your doctor about
the best way to quit or consider participating in Ingalls’
proven Freedom from Smoking program. Smoke from all
tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, and pipes) boosts
the chances of lung disease.
• Avoid secondhand smoke.
The best thing you can do to avoid lung disease is to stay
away from smoke. If you live or work with people who
smoke, ask them to smoke outside. Non-smokers have the
right to a smoke-free work place. Keep in mind that cigar
and pipe smoke is just as harmful as cigarette smoke.
• Test for radon.
Find out if there are high levels of radon gas in your home or
workplace. People who work in mines are often exposed to
radon. And in some parts of the United States, radon is found
in houses. Kits you can buy at most hardware stores can
measure the amount of radon gas in your home.
• Steer clear of asbestos.
Some jobs expose workers to asbestos. If you work in
construction, shipbuilding, asbestos mining or manufacturing,
car repair (brake repair), and insulation you should always
wear protective clothing including a face mask. Federal law
protects people who work with asbestos. Employers who
work with asbestos must train their workers about asbestos
safety, provide protective gear, and monitor the levels of
radon to which workers are exposed.
• Protect yourself from dust and chemical fumes.
Working with some chemicals like vinyl chloride and nickel
chromates increases the risk of lung cancer. If you spend a
lot of time working around dust and chemical fumes, protect
yourself. Wear protective clothing including a gas mask and
ventilate work areas.
• Eat a healthy diet.
Some research shows that people who eat diets rich in fruits
and vegetables have a lower risk of cancer. The American
Cancer Society recommends eating 5 to 6 servings of fruits
and vegetables every day.
• Ask your doctor about spirometry testing.
This test checks how well you can breathe. Some groups
recommend routine spirometry testing in at-risk groups. If
you're a smoker over the age of 45, are exposed to lung-
damaging substances at work, or have other risk factors you
should consider spirometry.
See your doctor right away if you have a cough that won't go away, trouble breathing, pain or discomfort in your chest, or any of the other symptoms described in this FAQ.
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What causes lung disease?
Some known causes of lung disease include:
• Smoking.
Smoke from cigarettes, cigars and pipes is the number one
cause of lung disease. So the best thing you can do to reduce
your risk of lung disease is to stop smoking. If you live or
work with a smoker, it is also very important to steer clear of
secondhand smoke. Ask the person to smoke outdoors.
• Radon gas.
Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon
is naturally present in soil and rocks. You can check your
home for radon with a kit bought at many hardware stores.
• Asbestos.
Asbestos is natural fiber that comes from minerals. The fibers
break apart easily into tiny pieces that can float in the air and
stick to things. If a person inhales asbestos particles, they
can stick to their lungs. Asbestos harms lungs cells which
may lead to lung cancer.
• Air Pollution.
Recent studies suggest that some air pollutants like car
exhaust may contribute to asthma, lung cancer, and other
lung disease. But doctors still do not fully understand the link
between pollution and lung disease.
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How can I find out if I have lung cancer?
Usually there are no warning signs of early lung cancer. But if there is a sign, it is usually a cough. By the time symptoms occur, the lung cancer often has advanced to more serious stages.
Symptoms of lung cancer may include:
• a cough that doesn't go away or gets worse
• coughing up blood
• frequent chest pain
• hoarseness or wheezing
• frequent problems with bronchitis or pneumonia
• loss of appetite or weight loss
• exhaustion
If you have any of these problems, call your doctor as soon as possible.
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How is lung cancer treated?
Most lung cancer is difficult to treat—mainly because it is often detected at an advanced stage, when treatment is least effective. The best way to fight lung cancer is to never start smoking or to stop smoking. If you need help to stop smoking, Ingalls offers the American Lung Association’s proven smoking-cessation program—
• Freedom From Smoking
Lung cancer can be treated in a number of different ways
including a combination of surgery, radiation, and
chemotherapy. Most of the time treatment does not cure the
cancer but stops it from spreading and relieves symptoms.
Your specific treatment will depend on:
• the kind of lung cancer you have (small cell
or non-small cell)
• where the cancer is and if it has spread to other parts
of the body,
• your age,
• and overall health.
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