Lung cancer

Lung cancer is another kind of cancer different from mesothelioma.It happened from the
uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs. When normal lung tissue cells
reproduce and develop into healthy lung tissue, these abnormal cells reproduce rapidly and
never grow into normal lung tissue. Then lots of cancer cells (tumors) form and disrupt the
lung, making it difficult to function properly.
More than 87% of lung cancers are smoking related. However, not all smokers develop lung
cancer. Quitting smoking reduces an individual's risk significantly, although former
smokers remain at greater risk for lung cancer than people who never smoked. Exposure to
other carcinogens such as asbestos and radon gas also increases an individual's risk,
especially when combined with cigarette or cigar smoking.
More Americans die each year from lung cancer than from breast, prostate, and colorectal
cancers combined. Approximately 172,570 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2005,
accounting for 13% of all new cancer cases. An estimated 163,510 Americans will die in 2005 from lung cancer, accounting for 28% of
all cancer deaths. Annually, lung cancer kills more men than prostate cancer and more women
than breast cancer. While overall cancer incidence rates are declining, lung cancer
incidence rates among women continue to rise. Between 1960 and 1990, deaths from lung
cancer among women increased by more than 400%. An estimated 79,560 women in the U.S. will
die this year from lung cancer. An estimated 93,010 men in the U.S. will die this year from
lung cancer. Lung cancer is the second most common cancer among African American men and women, and
kills more African Americans than any other cancer. African American men are at least 50%
more likely to develop lung cancer than Caucasian men. The mortality rate of African
American males with lung cancer is 100.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 70.1 for Caucasian
males. The incidence of lung cancer among African American males is 117.2 per 100,000
people, compared to 77.9 of Caucasian males. African American women have the highest incidence rates of lung cancer followed by
Caucasians, Asian Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and American Indians/Native Alaskans. Similar to AIDS in the early 1980s, lung cancer patients report feeling ashamed to tell
their family, friends, and others that they have been diagnosed with lung cancer because
they feel that they will be blamed. For more information about lung cancer mortality for men and women, download American
Cancer Society`s "Cancer Facts & Figures 2005". The document can also be found on the
American Cancer Society’s Web site. For more information about African Americans and lung
cancer visit some sites or search it in Google.