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Lung cancer
Symptoms & causes Diagnosis & treatment Doctors & departments Care at Mayo Clinic

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Overview
Lung cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the
lungs. Your lungs are two spongy organs in your
chest that take in oxygen when you inhale and
release carbon dioxide when you exhale.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer

Lung cancer
deaths worldwide.

People who smoke have the greatest risk of lung

cancer, though lung cancer can also occur in people who have never smoked.
The risk of lung cancer increases with the length of time and number of
cigarettes you've smoked. If you quit smoking, even after smoking for many
years, you can significantly reduce your chances of developing lung cancer.

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Lung cancer typically doesn't cause signs and symptoms in its earliest stages.
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When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any persistent signs or
symptoms that worry you.

If you smoke and have been unable to quit, make an appointment with your
doctor. Your doctor can recommend strategies for quitting smoking, such as
counseling, medications and nicotine replacement products.

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Causes
Smoking causes the majority of lung cancers — both in smokers and in people
exposed to secondhand smoke. But lung cancer also occurs in people who
never smoked and in those who never had prolonged exposure to secondhand
smoke. In these cases, there may be no clear cause of lung cancer.

How smoking causes lung cancer

Doctors believe smoking causes lung cancer by damaging the cells that line
the lungs. When you inhale cigarette smoke, which is full of cancer-causing
substances (carcinogens), changes in the lung tissue begin almost
immediately.

At first your body may be able to repair this damage. But with each repeated
exposure, normal cells that line your lungs are increasingly damaged. Over
time, the damage causes cells to act abnormally and eventually cancer may
develop.

Types of lung cancer

Doctors divide lung cancer into two major types based on the appearance of
lung cancer cells under the microscope. Your doctor makes treatment
decisions based on which major type of lung cancer you have.

The two general types of lung cancer include:

Small cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer occurs almost exclusively
in heavy smokers and is less common than non-small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is an umbrella

term for several types of lung cancers. Non-small cell lung cancers include
squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma.

Risk factors
A number of factors may increase your risk of lung cancer. Some risk factors
can be controlled, for instance, by quitting smoking. And other factors can't be
controlled, such as your family history.

Risk factors for lung cancer include:

Smoking. Your risk of lung cancer increases with the number of

cigarettes you smoke each day and the number of years you have
smoked. Quitting at any age can significantly lower your risk of
developing lung cancer.

Exposure to secondhand smoke. Even if you don't smoke, your risk of

lung cancer increases if you're exposed to secondhand smoke.

Previous radiation therapy. If you've undergone radiation therapy to the

chest for another type of cancer, you may have an increased risk of
developing lung cancer.

Exposure to radon gas. Radon is produced by the natural breakdown

of uranium in soil, rock and water that eventually becomes part of the air
 you breathe. Unsafe levels of radon can accumulate in any building,
including homes.

Exposure to asbestos and other carcinogens. Workplace exposure

to asbestos and other substances known to cause cancer — such as
arsenic, chromium and nickel — can increase your risk of developing lung
cancer, especially if you're a smoker.

Family history of lung cancer. People with a parent, sibling or child

with lung cancer have an increased risk of the disease.

Complications
Lung cancer can cause complications, such as:

Shortness of breath. People with lung cancer can experience shortness

of breath if cancer grows to block the major airways. Lung cancer can
also cause fluid to accumulate around the lungs, making it harder for the
affected lung to expand fully when you inhale.

Coughing up blood. Lung cancer can cause bleeding in the airway,

which can cause you to cough up blood (hemoptysis). Sometimes
bleeding can become severe. Treatments are available to control
bleeding.

Pain. Advanced lung cancer that spreads to the lining of a lung or to

another area of the body, such as a bone, can cause pain. Tell your doctor
if you experience pain, as many treatments are available to control pain.

Fluid in the chest (pleural effusion). Lung cancer can cause fluid to
accumulate in the space that surrounds the affected lung in the chest
cavity (pleural space).

Fluid accumulating in the chest can cause shortness of breath.

Treatments are available to drain the fluid from your chest and reduce the
risk that pleural effusion will occur again.

Cancer that spreads to other parts of the body (metastasis). Lung

cancer often spreads (metastasizes) to other parts of the body, such as
the brain and the bones.

Cancer that spreads can cause pain, nausea, headaches, or other signs
and symptoms depending on what organ is affected. Once lung cancer
has spread beyond the lungs, it's generally not curable. Treatments are
available to decrease signs and symptoms and to help you live longer.

Prevention
There's no sure way to prevent lung cancer, but you can reduce your risk if you:
 Don't smoke. If you've never smoked, don't start. Talk to your children
about not smoking so that they can understand how to avoid this major
risk factor for lung cancer. Begin conversations about the dangers of
smoking with your children early so that they know how to react to peer
pressure.

Stop smoking. Stop smoking now. Quitting reduces your risk of lung
cancer, even if you've smoked for years. Talk to your doctor about
strategies and stop-smoking aids that can help you quit. Options include
nicotine replacement products, medications and support groups.

Avoid secondhand smoke. If you live or work with a smoker, urge him
or her to quit. At the very least, ask him or her to smoke outside. Avoid
areas where people smoke, such as bars and restaurants, and seek out
smoke-free options.

Test your home for radon. Have the radon levels in your home
checked, especially if you live in an area where radon is known to be a
problem. High radon levels can be remedied to make your home safer.
For information on radon testing, contact your local department of public
health or a local chapter of the American Lung Association.

Avoid carcinogens at work. Take precautions to protect yourself from

exposure to toxic chemicals at work. Follow your employer's precautions.
For instance, if you're given a face mask for protection, always wear it.
Ask your doctor what more you can do to protect yourself at work. Your
risk of lung damage from workplace carcinogens increases if you smoke.

Eat a diet full of fruits and vegetables. Choose a healthy diet with a
variety of fruits and vegetables. Food sources of vitamins and nutrients
are best. Avoid taking large doses of vitamins in pill form, as they may be
harmful. For instance, researchers hoping to reduce the risk of lung
cancer in heavy smokers gave them beta carotene supplements. Results
showed the supplements actually increased the risk of cancer in smokers.

Exercise most days of the week. If you don't exercise regularly, start
out slowly. Try to exercise most days of the week.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Lung cancer care at Mayo Clinic

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