The Health-e-Blog

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Dana Reeve Dies of Lung Cancer at 44


Today I would like to discuss lung cancer. It was not the topic that I had originally planned to talk about today, but in light of the recent death of Dana Reeves, the widow of Super Man star Christopher Reeves , I felt the need to discuss this serious disease.

Mrs. Reeves succumbed to lung cancer on the eve of March 6, 2006. She did not smoke, which is one of the major risk factors for developing lung cancer. Although she had never smoked, she did have a family history of cancer with her mother having recently died of complication of ovarian cancer. Additionally, her career as a former cabaret singer may have exposed her to second-hand smoke. With that said, let discuss more about what lung cancer is and the risk factors associated with it.

What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer occurs when cells in the lung begin to grow rapidly in an uncontrolled way (1). Lung cancer can form anywhere in the lungs and affect any part of the respiratory system. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths for both men and women (2).

Cancers that begin in the lungs are categorized into two major types, non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer , depending on how the cells look under a microscope. Nonsmall cell lung cancer is more common than small cell lung cancer. Over 80% of all lung cancers are nonsmall cell cancer (4). It generally grows and spreads more slowly than small cell lung cancer. Each type of lung cancer grows and spreads in different ways and is treated differently.

Researchers have identified numerous causes of lung cancer. Most lung cancers are related to the use of tobacco, including secondhand smoke (1). Experts estimate that 85% to 90% of lung cancers are caused by tobacco smoke (2, 3). Carcinogens in tobacco smoke damage the cells in the lungs. Besides tobacco use, exposure to harmful materials such as arsenic, asbestos, radioactive dust, or radon can also increase the risk for lung cancer (4).

Sign and Symptoms

Symptoms that suggest lung cancer include (5):

  1. dyspnea (shortness of breath)
  2. hemoptysis (coughing up blood)
  3. cough
  4. wheezing
  5. chest pain
  6. cachexia (weight loss)
  7. fatigue and loss of appetite
  8. dysphonia (hoarse voice)
  9. clubbing of the fingernails (uncommon)

Treatment

Lung cancer is complex and so is its treatment. Treatment for lung cancer depends on the stage of your cancer and may include surgery (removing the cancer), radiation therapy (using high-dose X-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells), or chemotherapy (using medications to kill cancer cells) (4). A combination of treatments may also be used including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and vaccine therapy.
Please remember that the information and opinions accessed through The Health-e-Blog are not medical advice. They are designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient or site visitor and his/her existing physician. Health care providers should exercise their own independent clinical judgment.

For More Information...
You can also find out more about lung cancer by contacting the National Women's Health Information Center (800-994-9662) or the following organizations:

  1. National Cancer Institute Cancer Information Service Phone: (800) 422-6237
  2. American Lung Association Phone: (800) 586-4872
  3. National Cancer Institute Smoking Quitline Phone: (877) 448-7848
  4. Tobacco Information and Prevention Source (TIPS) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC Phone: (800) CDC-1311
  5. LungCancer.org
  6. Second Opinion Info
  7. Lung Cancer Services & Support

  8. Symptoms, Side Effects & Complications



    9. References:

    1. Lee JS, et al. (2001). Non–small-cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, and thymoma. In Cancer Management: A Multidisciplinary Approach, 5th ed., pp. 87–125. New York: PRR.
    2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2002). Recent trends in mortality rates for four major cancers, by sex and race/ethnicity,United States, 1990–1998. MMWR, 51(3): 49–53.
    3. Jablons D, et al (2003). Neoplasms of the lung. In LW Way, GM Doherty, eds., Current Surgical Diagnosis and Treatment, 11th ed., pp. 395–407.
    4. American Joint Committee on Cancer (2002). Lung. In AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, 6th ed., pp. 167–177. New York: Springer.
    5. Lung Cancer (2006). Retrieved March 7, 2006, from the Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_cancer


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