Lung cancer
Lifestyle Disease And Illnesses
Lung Cancer
Over 2,340 Victorians are diagnosed with lung cancer every year. Lung cancer occurs most often in adults between the ages of 40 and 70 who have smoked cigarettes for at least 20 years. However, up to nine out of 10 lung cancers are caused by smoking. Lung cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer in Australia.
What is lung cancer?
The lungs are two organs which are located inside the chest cavity. As we breath in, the air travels down the windpipe (trachea) and moves down two tubes called bronchi, which both end up going to the lung. The tubes divide into bronchioles and then into tiny air sacs called alveoli, they pass through air and collect the waste gas (carbon dioxide). Lung cancers usually start in the cells lining the airways.
How does the disease affect the body?
The disease affects the body by preventing the amount of air going into the lungs and not letting waste get out. The disease also starts killing the lung cells which ends up killing the lung and turning other cells into cancer. These cells also spread to other parts of the body and causes other cancers.
What are the risk factors that may lead to this disease?
There are many different risk factors that may lead to lung cancer such as:
Tobacco smoking
Environmental factors such as passive smoking, radon exposure and occupational exposures, such as asbestos* and diesel exhaust
A family history of lung cancer
Previous lung diseases such as lung fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and pulmonary tuberculosis.
*The use of asbestos was banned in Australia at the end of 2003. Not allowing it to be imported, sold, manufacture, used or reused in Australia. Although this is the case people who have worked with it in the past are more likely to develop it than the rest of the population.
Signs & Symptoms
Common symptoms of lung cancer include:
Persistent cough or a new or changed wheeze (or both)
Breathlessness
Lung Cancer
Over 2,340 Victorians are diagnosed with lung cancer every year. Lung cancer occurs most often in adults between the ages of 40 and 70 who have smoked cigarettes for at least 20 years. However, up to nine out of 10 lung cancers are caused by smoking. Lung cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer in Australia.
What is lung cancer?
The lungs are two organs which are located inside the chest cavity. As we breath in, the air travels down the windpipe (trachea) and moves down two tubes called bronchi, which both end up going to the lung. The tubes divide into bronchioles and then into tiny air sacs called alveoli, they pass through air and collect the waste gas (carbon dioxide). Lung cancers usually start in the cells lining the airways.
How does the disease affect the body?
The disease affects the body by preventing the amount of air going into the lungs and not letting waste get out. The disease also starts killing the lung cells which ends up killing the lung and turning other cells into cancer. These cells also spread to other parts of the body and causes other cancers.
What are the risk factors that may lead to this disease?
There are many different risk factors that may lead to lung cancer such as:
Tobacco smoking
Environmental factors such as passive smoking, radon exposure and occupational exposures, such as asbestos* and diesel exhaust
A family history of lung cancer
Previous lung diseases such as lung fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and pulmonary tuberculosis.
*The use of asbestos was banned in Australia at the end of 2003. Not allowing it to be imported, sold, manufacture, used or reused in Australia. Although this is the case people who have worked with it in the past are more likely to develop it than the rest of the population.
Signs & Symptoms
Common symptoms of lung cancer include:
Persistent cough or a new or changed wheeze (or both)
Breathlessness