Lung Cancer begins in your lungs which are 2 spongy organs whose function is to help you breathe through gaseous exchange (when you inhale, oxygen is replenished within your cells that pass through your lungs, and when you exhale carbon dioxide is released).
Lung Cancer causes your lung cells to divide uncontrollably when they should not, which lead to the growth of tumours thus reducing an individual’s ability to breathe.
There are two major types of lung cancer based on the appearance of lung cancer cells under the microscope.
- Small cell lung cancer occurs mostly in heavy smokers and is less common than non-small cell lung cancer
- Non-small cell lung cancer is a term that houses several types of lung cancers that behave in similar ways. These include: Squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma.
The staging of lung cancer indicates how far and severe the cancer has spread through your body and is extremely complex.