Lung Cancer: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatments

What is Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer is a condition that consists of uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both of an individual’s lungs. Abnormal cells found in lung cancer reproduce rapidly and never develop into normal tissue. Lumps of cancer cells eventually occur (tumors) and begin to disrupt the normal function of the lungs.

More than 87 percent of lung cancers are related to smoking. Some smokers will never develop lung cancer and if a person quits smoking, it will significantly reduce their risk of this disease. Exposure to other carcinogens such as asbestos and radon gas also increase the risk of lung cancer, especially when combined with cigarette or cigar smoking.

Oakwood Offers a Variety of Clinical Cancer Trials

The second leading cause of death in the United States is cancer. Clinical Trials are a leading tool in the process of controlling this disease. New treatment programs and medications are evaluated, old ones are refined; cancer prevention methods, techniques to ameliorate side effects are tested through these trials.

People who participate in clinical trials are heroes in their own right. Through their participation they benefit from treatment that is as good, if not better than, the current standard of care. They also pave the way for others yet to be diagnosed with this devastating disease.

Oakwood Healthcare System through its participation in the Community Clinical Oncology Program of the National Cancer Institute (CCOP) offers patients the opportunity to enroll in Cancer related Clinical Trials.