Lung cancer is a condition where there are cancer cells in the lung. The smoking habit is one of the main causes of this disease. Apart from coughing up blood, there are several other symptoms that you need to know as a sign of lung cancer symptoms. Check out the reviews in this article!
Lung Cancer and Smoking Habits
Lung cancer is one type of cancer that is quite common. Generally, this disease is susceptible to being experienced by active smokers. Even so, people who don't smoke are still at risk of developing lung cancer.
There are several factors that can increase the risk of lung cancer, such as:
- Family history of lung cancer.
- Often exposed to air pollution.
- Live and work in areas with high chemical exposure.
- Have undergone treatment through radiotherapy.
Coughing up Blood as a Symptom of Lung Cancer
You should not ignore the coughing-up blood that you experience. Coughing up blood can be a sign that you are experiencing serious health problems. One of them is lung cancer.
When you cough up blood, usually the blood will come out along with phlegm when you cough. This is due to interference or damage to the respiratory tract. Not as an early symptom of lung cancer, generally coughing up blood is a sign when cancer cells have invaded other parts or organs of the body.
Coughing up blood will usually be accompanied by other symptoms. Starting from chronic cough, wheezing, chest pain when breathing, weight loss, fatigue, to recurring respiratory infections.
Lung Cancer Treatment
Lung cancer can be treated in different ways. Treatment will be carried out according to the patient's condition, type, and location of the cancer cells. However, generally, there are several treatments that can be done:
1. Operation
Surgery can be performed as a lung cancer treatment when the cancer condition is still at stage 1 or 2. The operation is performed to remove cancer cells on one side of the affected rays. In addition, this action is carried out to inhibit the spread of cancer cells in the body.
2. Chemotherapy
In an advanced stage, chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells using drugs. Chemotherapy can also be done before people with lung cancer undergo surgery. The goal is to shrink cancer cells and make removal easier.
3.Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses very high energy to kill cancer cells. In addition to killing cancer cells, at an advanced stage, radiotherapy can also reduce pain or discomfort experienced by people with cancer.
4. Target Therapy
This treatment is carried out when radiotherapy and chemotherapy are not working optimally. This treatment will be used in advanced patients.
Those are some treatments that can be done. There are still various other types of treatment that can be done. You can use Halodoc and ask your doctor directly about other types of treatment for lung cancer.
Apart from treatment, lung cancer is also a preventable disease, you know. To prevent this disease, you should stop smoking. Not only that, avoid exposure to cigarette smoke directly or indirectly.
Do a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods. Increase the consumption of vegetables and fruit is one way to reduce the risk of lung cancer. Don't forget to exercise regularly so that your health condition is in optimal condition.