Cancer. It’s a dreaded word, just one word that the doctor says. One
little word that turns a life upside down.
There are thousands upon thousands of types of cancer, but you’ve found
yourself on this blog page because of one.
I’m very sorry that you’re here. I wish, from the bottom of my heart,
that nobody would ever have to read this. Whether you’re the victim diagnosed,
the loved one that heard the bad news, or the nurse that has a new oncology
patient, just know I wanted this blog to be the most useless information you would
ever read in your life. Unfortunately,
we live in a world where cancer can surprise attack anyone at anytime. So here are some blogs, to help you
understand, to help you learn and to help you beat the disease that is now a part of your life. This blog caters to a
specific, but very common cancer of the lung called adenocarcinoma of the lung.
What is
adenocarcinoma of the lung? Well, not to get into too much detail but basically
there are two classes of lung cancer, Small Cell Lung Cancer and Non Small Cell
Lung Cancer. Non Small Cell Lung Cancer is further broken down into three
main subtypes called squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma.2 And, BINGO, there it is.
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(for my visual learners)
Adenocarcinoma
of the lung is a very slow-growing malignant
(which means cancerous) tumor found in the outer parts of the
lung.3 The horrible process all begins when the lungs
are exposed to a carcinogen, such as cigarette smoke or environmental
pollutants. These irritants create
mutations those cells that are responsible for secreting mucus and other fluids
into the lungs.
Now, what a mutation means is that these carcinogens go into the cells and tell them
to act differently, to stop doing their job and start doing bad things. Initially, it tells the cells to make more of
their icky, cancerous selves. Because
they are slow, they often cannot be seen on x-ray nor do they present any
symptoms, and therefore go undetected.
Over time, multi-step carcinogenesis occurs as genetically altered cells
continue to grow and accumulate, while healthy lung cells continue to degenerate. Special chemicals from the bad cells are
released to form blood vessels nearby, which nourish the cancerous cells to
further enhance their progression.2
The carcinogenesis process (aka bad cell growth leading to a tumor) usually takes about 20-25 years, which explains why many patients can smoke for years without presenting any warning signs or indications of lung cancer. Although quitting smoking or limiting contact with other carcinogens like environmental toxins will reduce the risk of cancer, the initial mutated cells can still carryout the formation of tumors and lead to adenocarcinoma in the lungs. The mass of cells will eventually form a tumor large enough to cause symptoms and be detected on imaging tests.1
The carcinogenesis process (aka bad cell growth leading to a tumor) usually takes about 20-25 years, which explains why many patients can smoke for years without presenting any warning signs or indications of lung cancer. Although quitting smoking or limiting contact with other carcinogens like environmental toxins will reduce the risk of cancer, the initial mutated cells can still carryout the formation of tumors and lead to adenocarcinoma in the lungs. The mass of cells will eventually form a tumor large enough to cause symptoms and be detected on imaging tests.1
And that, my friend, is probably why you are sitting here reading this blog. You or someone you know has finally grown a tumor that is big enough to cause you grief, and the doctors are finally able to see those little bugger cells that have worked so hard to try and destroy your life. DON’T LET THEM! Fight back. My following blogs will provide information that can help you and I hope you will take advantage of them.
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Yes, I am the girl on Facebook who is always sharing memes :)
Works Cited:
1. Lung Cancer: Lung Adenocarcinoma. (n.d.). In College of
American Pathologists. (Excerpted from College of American Pathologists,
2011)
2. What Is Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. (n.d.). In Lung Cancer.
(Excerpted from American Cancer Society, 2014)
3. Understanding Your Pathology Report. (n.d.). In Lung Cancer.
(Excerpted from American Cancer Society, 2014)
4. OVERLY MANLY MAN. (2013, October 3). Cancer
– haven’t had a decent fight since 1945 [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://overlymanlyman.com/cancer-havent-had-a-decent-fight-since-1945/
5. American Lung Association. (2015).
What are the Types of Lung Cancer? [Chart]. Retrieved from http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/lung-cancer/learning-more-about-lung-cancer/understanding-lung-cancer/knowing-the-basics.html
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