Lung Tumours

What are Lung Tumours?

Lung tumours, otherwise known as lung cancer, usually begin in the cells that line the tubes in your lungs. There are two main types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer, which is the most common type, and small cell lung cancer, which is less common but more aggressive.

If the cancer started somewhere else in the body and spread to the lungs, it is called metastatic cancer to the lung. The major risk factor to lung tumours is smoking cigarettes, as well as exposure to asbestos.

How common are Lung Tumours?

Lung tumours are the cause of cancer in 1 in 5 people with cancers. In England and Wales, an estimated 31,000 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed every year.

Lung cancer is the deadliest type of cancer for both men and women. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined. During 2007, there were 29,660 deaths in England and Wales due to lung cancer.

Lung tumours are more common in older adults. It is rare in people under age 45. The most common age range that lung cancer is diagnosed is 70-74.

Smoking is the single biggest risk factor for lung tumours, accounting for an estimated 85-90% of cases. People who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day are 20 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers.

What are the symptoms of Lung Tumours?

Coughing, unexplained weight loss, shortness of breath and chest pains are some of the symptoms of lung tumours. However, these are common symptoms that require further tests to come to a diagnosis.

How are Lung Tumours treated?

Preventative measures can be taken to lower your risk of lung tumours. If you smoke, quit. It is never too late to stop smoking. Your risk of lung cancer drops dramatically the first year after you quit.

The treatment of lung tumours depends on the severity and spread of the tumour, and ranges from surgery to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.