LUNG CANCER SYMPTOMS,DIAGNOSES,AND TREATMENTS

LUNG CARCINOGENS

There are more than 100 carcinogens or cancer factors are existing in our lifestyle and the major factor is tobacco smoking.

Tobacco when it is burned is producing too many toxins. The major toxin which contributes to about 75% is NNK or Nicotine derived Nitrosamine Ketone.

Nicotine itself may not be a single factor that causes carcinoma but when it gets burned as in cigarette smoking it is converted to its ketone form the NNK which is highly carcinogenic.

The chemistry of nicotine converted to NNK:-

 The above-shown nicotine when burned or heated or treated with some chemicals such as nitrous acid (HONO) structurally changed as follows by opening its pyrrolidine ring into NNK which is represented by the structure given below 

                                  

The ketone at the end represented by (C---C==O)is a potent mutagen which attacks DNA molecule to misread its content to form irregular developments and forming cancerous tumors 

Tobacco smoke contains 75% NNK and the person who inhales the smoke is more in danger than the smoker himself.

Perhaps there is another carcinogen in tobacco smoke known as NNN (N-nitroso Nornicotine)which is also equally potent in producing cancer.

NNK is a mutagen hence it needs activation in our body to mutate the DNA.

Our liver contains many groups of enzymes one of which is the cytochrom450 which activates NNK to produce is harmful effects on DNA.

LUNG CANCER

From the above diagram note the difference between the normal and the diseased lungs.

Types of Lung Cancers

1. Large Cell Lung Carcinoma-it is the most common form of lung cancer. It is also known as squamous cell carcinoma or non-small cell carcinoma. It is slow in spreading or metastasis and easily treatable.

2. Small Cell Lung Carcinoma-it is uncommon and can spread rapidly make it difficult to treat.

3.Lung Carcinoid Tumor.-A rare form of lung cancer and the most dangerous which affects nerves and endocrines.

Symptoms

Early signs of lung cancer are silent and undetectable however in advance stage some of the following symptoms are evident.

1.Vocal change

2.Weakness

3.Tiredness

4.Frequent respiratory infections

5.Medically unresponsive chronic cough

6.Blood spitting during cough

7.Painful coughing with thick mucus which makes difficulty in swallowing.

8.Shortness of breath

9.Pain in bones

10.Weight loss

Causes

1.Prolonged exposure of our lungs to harmful carcinogens in smokes including tobacco smoking, radon radiation, etc

2. In immune compromising situations such as suffering from HIV infection, prolonged use of steroids, etc.

Complications

1.Difficulty in breathing due to pleural effusion or fluid accumulation in the respiratory pathway 

2. Spreading of cancer to other parts such as the brain and skeletal muscles through lymphatic circulation.

3.Mouth infections, tooth decay, dry tongue, etc.

4. Stomach upset, loose motion or constipation due to the disease spread into the digestive system 

Stages:-

0 stage:-it is just above the normal as still cancer not established but there are attacks on the DNA. The small bits of tumors appear on the inner linings of the alveoli but not still spread to the lymph nodes

Stage-1: The tumors grown into cancerous but still at the starting level and not spread.
Sage-2: The tumors at this stage develops further distinctively and still localized, and can be removed by surgery without complications 
Stage:3: The tumors grew further and can reach metastasis but still localized.
Stage-4: The tumors attain metastasis and spread to other parts especially to lymph nodes, followed by bones, visceral parts, and brain.

Treatments

1.When any one of the symptoms mentioned above such as vocal change, coughing with blood and thick mucus occurs go to a specialist and diagnose thoroughly.

2. Cessation of smoking is a must.

3. Usually there are no proper diagnostic methods to detect lung cancer in early stages. But treatments can be with chemotherapy and

antibiotics to control the early symptoms.

4. Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is easily treatable as it is not usually spread to the brain.

5. Treatment is based on preventing irregular fusion of the DNA brands. This can be achieved by inhibiting a special gene protein known as Abnormal Fusion Protein. This is known as ALK Gene Rearrangements.

Three drugs namely Crizotinib ( Xalkori), Ceritinib (Zykadia), and Alcetinib (Alecensa)are developed to prevent the abnormal fusion protein.