Overview of Non-small cell lung cancer

The most common type of lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Around 85% of lung cancer cases are NSCLS. It is a term that describes any epithelial lung cancer type other than small-cell lung cancer. NSCLC occurs when abnormal cells grow and divide in the tissues of your lungs. NSCLC begins when normal lung cells transform and proliferate from out of control to produce a mass known as a tumor, lesion, or nodule.

Types of Non-small cell lung cancer

The three primary types of non-small cell lung cancer are as follows:

Adenocarcinoma: This kind of NSCLC begins from the epithelial cells which cover the outside of the lungs. These cells will produce mucus; moreover, it is the most prominent type of lung cancer in non-smokers. 40% of cases of NSCLC are because of adenocarcinoma.

Squamous cell carcinoma: This type of cancer cells starts from the squamous cells, which are flat cells that line the interior lungs. Around 30% of NSCLC causes are squamous cell carcinoma.

Large cell carcinoma: The least frequent form of NSCLC is this large cell carcinoma. It is a class of tumors characterized by large, unusual-appearing cells. These tumors frequently grow quickly and can begin anywhere in the lungs.

Other non-small cell lung cancer types are sarcomatoid carcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma, which occur in less common cases.

Warning signs of Non-small cell lung cancer

A common sign of NSCLC is continuous breathing difficulty and coughing. Other symptoms include:

• Blood while coughing

• Pain or discomfort in the chest

• Loss of appetite

• Loss of weight without reason

• Wheezing

• Fatigue

• Difficulties while swallowing

• Swelling of the veins in the neck or the face

• Heavy tiredness

• Hoarseness (changes in the quality or pitch of the voice)
  

Causes and risk factors of NSCLC

The actual cause of NSCLC is unknown, but various risk factors have been found. For example, many NSCLC patients either smoke currently or in the past. Many factors can raise the chance of getting lung cancer.

• Radiation exposure (Radiation therapy for breast or chest),

• Environmental pollution

• Family history

• Exposure to mineral dust and metals

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),

• Pulmonary fibrosis

• History of HIV/ AIDS.
  

Diagnosis of Non-small cell lung cancer:

• Imaging tests on the chest, such as MRI, CT, and PET scans.

• Blood or urine test

• Bronchoscopy

• Thoracoscopy, to examine the chest

• Biopsy, where lung tissue is taken for the test.
  

Stages of Non-small cell lung cancer

The stages of the cancer are based on the location and size of the tumor cells and its spread.

Stage 0 No cancerous cells are outside the lungs or in the deeper lung tissues.

Stage 1 Cancer is present in lung tissues but not lymph nodes.

Stage 2 Cancer cells may have spread to lymph nodes near the lungs.

Stage 3 Cancer cells have spread further into lymph nodes and the middle of the chest.

Stage 4 Cancer cells have spread all over the body, which may have spread to the brain, liver, or bones.

Treatment for NSCLC

Your doctor may test and diagnose non-small cell lung cancer with a medical history examination, blood test, or imaging test. Depending on the underlying issues, non-small cell lung cancer is treated with different methods. Treatment of non-small cell lung cancer includes therapies such as chemotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, immunotherapy, targeted drug therapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.

Alimta 100mg injection is used to treat non-small cell lung cancer. It restricts the growth and multiplication of cancer cells by blocking the enzymes responsible for producing folate, which is necessary for cell replication. The most common side effects of the Alimta 100 injection are nausea, constipation, fatigue, fever, muscle weakness, increased skin pigmentation, eye irritation, and watering.