One difficulty in diagnosing lung cancer is the fact that in many patients symptoms of the disease are not apparent until the cancer is in an advanced stage.

Knowledge of lung cancer symptoms is important for everyone but most especially for those at high risk. Those individuals should contact their physician at once if they have any suspicion that they may have lung cancer.

Hidden Disease

Lung cancer in it’s earlier stages can go unnoticed. Usually symptoms will appear when the tumor has grown or the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Sometimes lung cancer will be detected when an x-ray of the chest is done for some other complaint.

The lack of early symptoms of lung cancer allows the disease to grow, making it more difficult to treat and making it more likely that it will spread to other parts of the body.

Sometimes what appears to be a chest cold or some other common respiratory illness, is actually a symptom of lung cancer. These symptoms can be difficult to notice as something more serious and ignored or treated with over the counter medication as a simple virus.

Symptoms

Lung cancer symptoms are usually similar to those you would feel with a common virus or infection. They include:

* A cough that will not go away

* Chest discomfort

* Difficulty breathing

Being informed and aware is the best way to catch lung cancer symptoms early. Watch out for the following:

* A new cough that develops suddenly, especially if you smoke or used to smoke.

* A cough that just will not go away no matter what medication you use to treat it.

* Pain in the chest that is dull, yet persistent.

* Gasping

* Hoarseness

* Repeated respiratory illness

Depending upon the type of lung cancer, a variety of symptoms can be seen. One form of lung cancer tumors are Metastatic and may react differently in the body and cause different symptoms. While most do not cause any symptoms, they can sometimes spread to the adrenal glands, the bones and even the brain.

The difficulty of detecting lung cancer in the early stages is part of the reason why it has such a high death rate.

Anne Durrel originally comes from Stockton, California, USA. She has written many articles about Lung Cancer . Other guide you may be interested in reading: lung cancer prognosis tips, and lung cancer stages guide!

It is not easy to understand the figures about the lung cancer survival rate.

You really have to understand how these are put together and what exactly they represent.

All the figures you see may not be exactly what you think since there are many factors that influence how the lung cancer survival rates are determined.

The Nitty-Gritty

Lung cancer survival rates statements refer to a group of people at certain age suffering from lung cancer with some specific types of cancer.

It may also indicate rates for people suffering from lung cancer at any disease.

No matter if the person is in remission or still have cancer, usually the survival statistics relate to the survival rate after five years.

Understand that the lung cancer statistics are based upon average and a large group of people. And since every case is very different, so they only predict what the survival rate will be for a particular person.

Lung Cancer Survival Rate Factors

Remember, there are many things that influence lung cancer survival rate statistics, but here are some of the factors that can alter survival rates area:

* Cancer Stage

* Type of cancer

* The kind of symptoms present

* General health conditions

* The date of diagnosis

When a doctor gives patient information on the possible outcome of their diagnosis, it is based upon a general idea of what happens in the average case.

It is only an estimate, not an exact science.

The Average of Lung Cancer Survival Rate

The average Lung Cancer Survival Rate for those diagnosed with early stage lung cancer is 49%. This means that 49 out of 100 people live for at least 5 years after diagnosis.

People diagnosed with lung cancer that has spread have only 3% of survival rate or only 3 out of 100 people live 5 years after diagnosis.

Using Survival Rates

Now you know what lung cancer survival rate statistics means, and you can begin to find out how they may be used.

The most common use is to help patients understand what lies ahead for them in dealing with the disease and the possibility of their death.

Anne Durrel has written extensively on Lung Cancer . She comes from California. You may want to check out her other guide on signs of lung cancer tips, and lung cancer symptoms guide!

Lung cancer is an abnormality with the tissue in the lung where the cell’s normal routine of life is to grow fresh cells if they are needed – with a malignancy, the development is uncontrolled.

Many lung cancers, approximately ninety five%, are cancers of the outermost tissue on the lung, although a very tiny percentage of these lung malignancies might be mesotheliomas that are coming from lung cancers of the pleura.

Diagnosing Lung Cancer

Diagnosis of lung cancer malignancy is difficult sometimes simply because 25% of sufferers clinically determined to have lung cancer malignancy may have no warning signs before diagnosis. A diagnosis comes about in these cases whenever a chest radio-graph is carried out for a different unrelated cause and then an abnormality shows up. Usually a biopsy (tiny piece of lung tissue) is used in order to verify the diagnosis.

Lung cancer symptoms like prolonged chest discomfort, coughing, and wheezing weight loss, exhaustion, persistent hoarseness, as well as difficulty swallowing may be attributed to other reasons and therefore diagnosing lung cancer malignancy could be delayed.

Earlier stages of lung cancer malignancy are considered far more responsive to treatment and less likely to have additional organ involvement but that of course is dependent upon the type of cancer too.

Studies claim that around eighty percent of deaths related to lung cancer malignancy around the world result from cigarette smoking even though other carcinogens may also lead to lung cancer. Exposure to Radon gas is also a root cause of lung cancer malignancy with nearly 12 percent of all lung cancer deaths attributable to exposure to radon.

Particles in the air likewise seem to have some relation to the development of some types of lung cancer. The finer the air particle the more deeply it penetrates within the lung.

Asbestos fibers are also a reason for lung cancer – these silicate fibers can easily remain inside the lungs over time periods of more than 20 years. Employees subjected to these asbestos fibers have a five X increased chance of developing lung cancer malignancy and smokers that are exposed have got a 50 to 90 times greater risk than non-smokers.

Various other lung conditions appear to increase the danger of developing lung cancer to four or five times above normal.

Management of Lung Cancer Malignancy

Chemotherapy is a program of drug treatments intended to effectively poison the cancer growths. Radiation treatment may perhaps be used with a healing intention on lung malignancy or it can be used for symptom relief or as a precaution after surgical procedures.

Surgical treatment – Some lung cancers are operable and others are not, but normally surgery is followed or preceded by chemotherapy or radiation to try and kill virtually any stray cancer cells. This strategy is often used in situations where cancer has been identified in its earlier stages and hasn’t spread to other regions of the body.

Treatment would depend on the stage of lung cancer as well as involvement of certain other organs, the type of cancer malignancy, as well as the overall condition of the affected person with the lung cancer. The possible treatment methods change day-to-day, and new and fresh treatments for lung cancer as well as its different types are being developed all the time.

Anne Durrel comes from California. She has, combined, over 3 years of experience in Lung Cancer. You may want to check out her other guide on lung cancer symptoms tips and asbestos siding guide.

Mesothelioma is a relatively rare type of cancer which affects approximately one in a million people. The usual direct cause is exposure to asbestos.

Although smoking does not directly cause Mesothelioma, a combination of smoking and asbestos exposure has been proven to increase the risk of Mesothelioma occurring in the lungs. Mesothelioma is usually caused by the asbestos poisoning effects when breathing in asbestos dust such as at work or even when washing the clothes of someone who has worked with asbestos.

Mesothelioma symptoms can include breathing difficulties and coughing (due to fluid in the lungs), chest pain and less specific symptoms such as weight loss, fever and abdominal pain. These can occur several decades after the asbestos exposure. Diagnosis of Mesothelioma might be supported by chest X-ray and/or CT scan or MRI, and the verified by detailed examination a sample of affected tissue (biopsy).

Recovery from mesothelioma is rare, with median survival of about nine months from when the disease presents. The survival rate for 5 years is only about ten percent, but some people occasionally live more than 20 years with the disease. Radiation therapy on its own does not have much of an effect, but a combination of radical surgery followed by radiation and chemo treatments is somewhat effective.

Most people who get the disease are dead within 18 months from knowing they have it. This is due to the challenges in having a clear diagnosis rather than the progression rate of the disease. Treatment for the disease can sometimes total 800,000 dollars.

Litigation about this disease first initiated in 1929. More than five hundred thousand cases have gone to court so far. Those who build and repair ships have the greatest mortality rate from the disease. This is because asbestos is commonly used in ships. The amounts of money that claimants receive can be very large, which means that there are legal specialists who handle only mesothelioma claims.

Mesothelioma treatment options can include radiation and chemo treatment and less commonly surgery. However, despite treatment, mesothelioma prognosis is usually poor.

Want to find out more about mesothelioma, see our new siteMesothelioma Reports

Lung cancer is the leading cause of death due to cancer in the United States, though many people are under the impression that only smokers are affected, the truth is that around two-thirds of patients have never smoked or quit. Lung cancer affects more people than the three other major cancer conditions combined – breast, prostrate and colon cancer.
Lung cancer is diagnosed by a series of tests, some or all of which will be utilized by an oncologist (cancer specialist). These tests include the following:

CT Scan
PET Scan
Bronchoscopy
Needle biopsy
Surgical biopsy

Once a diagnosis of lung cancer has been established, your doctor will need to assess the stage of the disease. Staging is the process by which the cancer is assessed and categorized; this is essential for determining an effective treatment regime which will depend on a number of detailed factors. Factors include the size of the tumor, location, whether it is primary (originated in the lungs) or metastasized (spread to the lungs from another tumor elsewhere in the body), whether it has spread to the lymph nodes and many other factors.

Staging is frequently referred to as TNM – Tumor, Lymph Nodes, Metastasized.

Treatment regimes will be determined by the type of lung cancer a patient has acquired. Metastasized cancer is treated differently from primary cancer – in the latter case, the tumor originates in the lung and can be treated by surgery in the early stages backed up by chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Metastasized cancer cannot be so easily treated by surgery unless the cancer is non-aggressive and the tumor of relatively small size.

Your doctor will probably recommend minimally invasive surgery for early stage, primary lung cancer and this has distinct advantages in both treatment outcome and for the patient. Minimally invasive techniques do not involve opening the thoracic cavity (the chest) and is not major surgery with the attendant risks that carries. It is usual for a patient to be up and walking within a couple of hours of the procedure and to be home within a day or two of being admitted to hospital. Chemotherapy or radiation treatment may be used to follow up the removal (known as a resection) of the cancerous lung tissue.

Traditional open surgery may be used where the cancer is located in an inaccessible portion of the lungs or is at a stage where minimally invasive techniques are not appropriate. This requires an incision in the side of the chest (the flank) and the spreading of the ribs to gain access to the area where the tumor is located. This involves additional pain and discomfort for the patient and a longer stay in hospital with a longer recovery period, which is why minimally invasive techniques are often preferred. Again, the operation will frequently be followed up by additional chemotherapy or radiation treatment where necessary.

Where the disease has reached a stage at which it is incurable, palliative surgery may be undertaken to help the patient’s quality of life, such as the removal of the tumor which has become of a size where airways are being obstructed.

Find the right doctor for lung cancer treatments or mitral valve repair. Early diagnosis can lead to successful results.

Minimally invasive lung cancer surgery can be used to remove cancerous tissue without the need to open the patient’s chest. A traditional approach to performing a lobectomy required the surgeon to make a long incision into the chest. Then, the chest is opened and the ribs are either spread apart or removed in order to give the surgical team a better view of the affected lobe. The operation usually involves a significant level of postoperative pain as well as a longer recovery time.

Chemotherapy drugs are often administered to the patient after the procedure. This is done to help kill any diseased cells that may have spread to other sites. In most cases, these drugs must either be delayed or the dosage must be reduced until the patient has recovered.

In this article, we’ll describe how a lobectomy can be performed without the high-impact trauma associated with conventional thoracotomy. We’ll also explain the effect this has on chemotherapy outcomes.

What Is A Thoracoscopic Lobectomy?

A thoracoscopic lobectomy involves the surgeon making a few small incisions between the patient’s ribs. A thoracoscope (a tubular instrument) with a small camera attached on the end is inserted through one of the incisions to provide a view of the diseased tissue. Then, additional surgical instruments are inserted through the other incisions to remove the affected lobe and biopsy the chest lymph nodes.

There is no need to open the chest or spread the patient’s ribs (as is the case with conventional thoracotomy).

The Aftereffects Of Thoracoscopic Lobectomy

Because this minimally invasive procedure does not require opening the chest, there is less post-op pain, less likelihood of infection, and less impact to the immune system. There is also less chance of the patient developing complications (for example, bleeding) following the operation. As a result, the recovery time is usually shorter than would be the case with open chest surgery.

These factors contribute to the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs. Often, doctors must delay giving the drugs to those who have undergone traditional open surgery due to an impaired immune system. Other times, doctors can administer chemotherapy drugs, but in limited doses.

Because these drugs seek to eliminate cancerous cells that have metastasized, it is important that they are administered as quickly as possible. Delays or limited doses that result from the patient’s prolonged recovery time will impact the drugs’ effectiveness. This is one of the reasons many surgeons are recommending minimally invasive lung cancer surgery whenever the patient is deemed a good candidate.

In some cases, the minimally invasive techniques that are being used to perform lobectomies can also be used to perform a pneumonectomy (removal of the entire lung). If you have been diagnosed with early stage lung cancer, discuss these options with your doctor. He or she will determine whether you are a good candidate for thoracoscopic resection, lobectomy, or pneumonectomy.

Find the right doctor for lung cancer surgery or mitral valve disease. Early diagnosis can lead to successful results.

There’s a new star on the medicinal mushroom sky. It goes by Phellinus linteus in Latin. The little known English common name is Black Hoof Fungus. It’s far more common, even in America, to hear it referred to by its Japanese name as Mesima.

Phellinus linteus grows on hardwood trees such as oak, poplar and mulberry. The species is common in Southeast Asia and southern parts of the United States. [1]

Whereas we in America have gotten wind of most medicinal mushroom species by way of Japan or China, Phellinus linteus primarily gained its fame in Korea as an adjunct to traditional chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

The reputation of Phellinus linteus as a powerful medicinal mushroom has rapidly spread across the world and today it is increasingly popular with medical professionals from the U.S. and Japan to Turkey and Israel as an immune booster [2-11], especially for the prevention of cancer metastasis. [5,10,12-17]

Perhaps it all got started when one of the first Korean studies on Phellinus linteus in’96 reported that it exhibited a wider range of immunostimulation and antitumor activity than polysaccharides isolated from other medicinal mushroom species. [4]

Seven year later, in confirmation of the Korean finding, America’s best known mycologist Paul Stamets published a paper which compared Phellinus linteus to several of the most highly regarded species of medicinal mushrooms: Cordyceps, Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Maitake and Agaricus blazei. [18]

In this study, Phellinus linteus turned out to have the most powerful effect on enhancing the activity of macrophages, a type of white blood cell that’s an important part of the immune system. Macrophage activity was increased 5,700% by the Phellinus linteus extract. The dose used was equivalent to 3,750 mg for an average (165 lbs) adult. [18]

Macrophages as part of the human immune system can be a two-edged sword. They may devour cancer cells, but can also stimulate cancer growth. The published research on Phellinus linteus indicates that it activates the cancer-fighting properties of macrophages, not the cancer-stimulating properties. [8,14,19,20]

Three additional papers have been published with reports of patients using Phellinus linteus extract and experiencing “spontaneous” regression:

1. A 2004 paper out of Japan reported “a hormone refractory prostate cancer patient with rapidly progressive bone metastasis who showed dramatic response to intake of an extract from the mushroom, Phellinus linteus.” [15]

2. In 2005, a Korean paper related the case of a 65-year-old patient with liver cancer and skull metastasis who experienced “spontaneous regression” after one and a half years of using Phellinus linteus. [17]

3. A Japanese article from 2006 reported the case of a 79-year-old man with malignant liver cancer and lung metastases who exhibited complete regression of the tumors six months after using an extract of Phellinus linteus Mycelium. [16]

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The mushroom Phellinus linteus has not been approved by the FDA for medicinal use. Always consult a licensed medical practitioner before using any herb or mushroom medicinally.

Dr. Markho Rafael currently focuses on medicinal mushrooms research, having worked with natural health since the mid-90’s. He partners with Cordyceps Reishi Extract, LLC, a business offering premium grade medicinal mushroom products including Phellinus linteus extract. For references to this article, go the Phellinus linteus reference page.

For two millennia, medicinal mushrooms have been mainstream in Asia. Now, America is taking notice and interest is rapidly “mushrooming.” With the sprouting of this new industry follows issues of ethical quality claims between competing brands.

All species of medicinal mushrooms appear haunted by this issue. Particularly so, it seems, is red reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), the oldest medicinal mushroom in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Please note, however, that the information in this article applies generally to all medicinal mushroom species.

An obvious caution is to stay away from cheap, mass-produced reishi. It may be merely dried and pulverized. In order to be medicinal, the mushroom cell-wall has to be broken down. Mass-produced reishi may be mostly inert and ineffective.

But even among the truly effective therapeutic brands, which are plentiful, there are important differences. Each seems to claim superiority over other brands, not surprisingly, because why else would anyone buy them? This article aims to clarify the confusion of conflicting and sometimes misleading information that is out there.

There are primarily three ways to extract the medicinal compounds from red reishi. Each method pulls out different compounds, all of which have been proven by scientific research to be therapeutically important.

1. Water Extraction, Hot (polysaccharides and more)

2. Alcohol Extraction (triterpenoids, sterols)

3. Fermenting (arabinoxylanes, etc.)

The water soluble compounds, primarily polysaccharides, are powerful anti-tumor agents, immune enhancers and strong antioxidants. [1]

Through alcohol extraction, we get triterpenoids, a large group of lipids with many sub-groups. Research shows triterpenoids help regulate clotting, blood pressure and cholesterol. More importantly, they are the anti-inflammatory compounds that are the reason why reishi often gets recommended for arthritis, asthma and allergies. [1]

Less researched are the “secondary metabolites” that come from fermenting reishi. “Secondary” because they result when the original medicinal compounds get broken down by bacteria. These new compounds have been shown to possess therapeutic properties that are unique, including immune enhancement, anti-tumor and blood-sugar regulation. [2]

This article is intended to give general guidelines to help you choose an effective reishi product, not to recommend any particular brand. But there are at least two reishi companies on the market which both state only hot water extract is useful while alcohol extracts are of no value.

Of course they do that to promote their own brand. In reality both hot water extract and alcohol extract contain unique medicinal compounds that are all very important.

When looking for the best reishi extract, find one that uses at least the first two extraction methods in combination: Hot Water and Alcohol Extraction. Even better may be a brand that includes all three methods listed.

As a last point, when you look for the best reishi extract, one thing to look at is the form it comes in. For example, any reishi extract that fully dissolves in a water-based liquid such as coffee probably only contains hot water extracted reishi. So while reishi/ganoderma coffee certainly makes for a superbly delicious and healthy cup loaded with polysaccharides, it won’t include the important anti-inflammatory triterpenoids.

Alcohol tinctures, on the other hand, are well worth considering because they may be a blend of water and alcohol extracts. The way to tell is if the tincture is cloudy. When water-soluble polysaccharides get mixed with alcohol, they fall out of solution. Cloudiness in an alcohol tincture indicates high polysaccharide content. Just shake before taking. Tablets and capsules can contain hot water extract, alcohol extract or both. You need to find out from the manufacturer.

[1] Boh B, Berovic M, Zhang J, Zhi-Bin L. “Ganoderma lucidum and its pharmaceutically active compounds.” Biotechnology Annual Review 2007;13:265-301.

[2] Tang YJ, Zhang W, Zhong JJ. “Performance analyses of a pH-shift and DOT-shift integrated fed-batch fermentation process for the production of ganoderic acid and Ganoderma polysaccharides by medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum.” Bioresour Technol. 2009 Mar;100(5):1852-9.

Dr. Markho Rafael has worked with natural health since the early 90’s, recently specializing in medicinal mushrooms. He partners with Davida Sara on red reishi extract and cordyceps extract plus the increasingly popular mesima and more.

If you are someone who has or is battling cancer, you know that it always feels like an uphill struggle. It takes a very considerable toll on the host mentally and physically. No one is pretending that all the success stories we hear make up the bulk of those with cancer. It is well understood that the stories of triumph are the objects of hope in dark times of those too wishing they could be cancer survivors.

There is no pattern of certain success when trying to defeat cancerous cells in your body. The cancer survivors we hear and read about often endured painful treatments that made them sometimes want to just give up. That's what inspires us about all these incredible stories of victory. It wasn't smooth sailing; in fact it was the opposite. But they refused to give in and they refused to quit trying.

There is no formula to beating cancer, and therefore there is no guarantee. Many have found hope in the advances in modern science that have added dramatic change and aggressive approaches to treating the disease. If you are one of the fortunate souls that were cured with current treatment methods, you have a heavy burden being the face of hope on such a dark road. There is no doubt that you yourself aren't even the same person you were before you found out about the cancer.

So, lets suppose for a moment that you just found out you were cancer free. You are elated and feeling blessed. Your fingers are trembling with the excitement as you dial all the numbers you remember. You call everyone you know to tell them the great news.

In addition to the elation, you might also feel anxious and stressed about what this means for you now. What do you do with your life now? Some, in hearing this news decide that they should devote their lives to awareness of the disease and getting others to support further research towards a certain cure. Others want to be able to be well enough to simply go back to work and feel part of the world at large again. Whatever you choose, there is help for you.

There are many programs that are available specifically for cancer survivors. Rehabilitation, job placement, and support groups are among some of the most common. In many cases it is hard to look at a new lease on life optimistically when you didn’t plan on making it out through the light at the end of the tunnel.

Foundations and groups like LAF, or the Lance Armstrong Foundation, pride themselves on helping those through any stage of cancer. It's a battle from start to finish, even when you are cancer free. LAF has resources and help available to those dealing with any cancer related issue. Sometimes a kind voice on the other end of a phone means more than anything.

If you are, or know someone who is a cancer survivor, consider it a blessing. This is an awakening of many different manners that not everyone will get to experience. You have been through the worst to stand on top of the mountain, and you should take this second chance to live like you always meant to.

Cancer is difficult. We all know it can take a lot out of you. cancer survivors need support. When you or someone you love needs help, click here.

People who are open to asbestos particles usually are susceptible to be inflicted with the fatal menace, mesothelioma. The sickness trigger nasty cells in the mesothelium – the internal lining that overlies the internal organs of the body. Mostly, Mesothelioma harms the innerlining of the pectus wall and the lungs. It can in addition have an effect on the peritoneum – the interior lining of the abdomen and the serous membrane that protects the heart as well as tunica vaginalis.

People engaged in asbestos interrelated fabricating companies are the mainly in jeopardy and have showed the largest amount of mesothelioma patients. Furthermore, those who have a member or members actively engaged in these sorts of companies are as well struck by the disease as they systematically are sujected to asbestos detritus when they launder their garments or from numerous other actions that expose them to asbestos particles.

Although there will be a high risk of getting mesothelioma with smoking, it is not precisely related with smokers. Nonetheless, lung cancers are most prominent malady with smokers whereas mesothelioma assails only persons who have contact with asbestos relevant treatment or in the company of their family members. People who live near to these factories are too at risk of contracting mesothelioma as others.

Persons who have a medical condition with mesothelioma will not reveal manifestations and symptoms of the illness in its early stages. This is why it is very complicated to detect it at the preliminary phase and by the time it is discovered, it can be by this time excessively tardy to heal them. The manifestations and symptoms involve chest pains, weight reduction and problems breathing although they could vary according to the situation of the patients.

CT scan, X-ray along with tissue sample are the testing techniques performed on a patient to clarify whether mesothelioma is the issue. The tissue specimens are taken by inserting a camera with a conduit to the affected parts and these tissue specimens are directed for microscopic diagnoses. Early detection of the condition aids medical practitioners to give efficient cures to lessen the effects.

It is one of the deadliest diseases today, and because of the exposure to asbestos was high before and even after the ’80s there are many mesothelioma settlement cases these days. To find more information about mesothelioma class action visit our website by clicking on one of these links.