What is Passive smoking?

If someone is smoking then the smoke they blow out into the air can be breathed in by anyone who is near to them. The smoker is actively choosing to breathe in this smoke. People nearby are passive smokers because, although they do not choose to smoke they are actually breathing in the smoke too.

Prevention
Stop smoking : if you smoker, stop smoking

If you are a nonsmoker, know your rights to a smoke-free environment at work and in public places. Make your home smoke-free.

Beta Carotene: Studies show that heavy smokers who avoid taking beta carotene supplements may avoid further increasing their risk of lung cancer compared with smokers who do take beta carotene. Diet and Physical Activity: Studies show that a diet rich in fruit, and possibly vegetables, may help lower the risk of lung cancer, while heavy alcohol drinking may increase the risk of lung cancer. In addition, studies show that people who are physically active may have a lower risk of lung cancer than those who are not, even after taking cigarette smoking into account. Chemoprevention: Chemoprevention is the use of specific natural or man-made drugs to reverse, suppress, or prevent cancer growth. Chemoprevention is an area of active clinical research. It has not yet become standard therapy.

Causes Lung Cancer

Studies show that smoking tobacco products in any form is the major cause of lung cancer. People who stop smoking and never start again lower their risk of developing lung cancer or of having lung cancer recur (come back). Many products, such as nicotine gum, nicotine sprays, nicotine inhalers, nicotine patches, or nicotine lozenges, as well as antidepressant drugs, may be helpful to people trying to quit smoking. Never smoking lowers the risk of dying from lung cancer. Air pollution may also increase the risk of lung cancer. Studies show that lung cancer rates are higher in cities with higher levels of air pollution.

Radon gas
Radon is a colorless and odorless gas generated by the breakdown of radioactive radium, which in turn is the decay product of uranium, found in the earth's crust. The radiation decay products ionize genetic material, causing mutations that sometimes turn cancerous. Radon exposure is the second major cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon gas levels vary by locality and the composition of the underlying soil and rocks. For example, in areas such as Cornwall in the UK (which has granite as substrata), radon gas is a

major problem, and buildings have to be force-ventilated with fans to lower radon gas concentrations. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one in 15 homes in the U.S. has radon levels above the recommended guideline of 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L). Iowa has the highest average radon concentration in the United States; studies performed there have demonstrated a 50% increased lung cancer risk with prolonged radon exposure above the EPA's action level of 4 pCi/L.

Asbestos
Asbestos can cause a variety of lung diseases, including lung cancer. There is a synergistic effect between tobacco smoking and asbestos in the formation of lung cancer. In the UK, asbestos accounts for 23% of male lung cancer deaths. Asbestos can also cause cancer of the pleura, called mesothelioma (which is different from lung cancer).

Viruses
Viruses are known to cause lung cancer in animals and recent evidence suggests similar potential in humans. Implicated viruses include human papillomavirus, JC virus, simian virus 40 (SV40), BK virus and cytomegalovirus. These viruses may affect the cell cycle and inhibit apoptosis, allowing uncontrolled cell division.

Contains in the smoke Tar which has many chemicals in it some of which cause cancer Carbon monoxide - reduces the oxygen in blood so people can develop hearth disease (the amount of carbon monoxide is not enough to cause any immediate effects in passive smokers (such as feeling tired), but over a long time the effects can worsen hearth disease) Poison including arsenic, ammonia and cyanide

HOW IS LUNG CANCER TREATED?

The doctor will decide which treatment you will receive based on factors such as the type of lung cancer, the size, location and extent of the tumor (whether or not it has spread), and your general health. There are many treatments, which may be used alone or in combination. These include: SURGERY may cure lung cancer. It is used in limited stages of the disease. The type of surgery depends on where the tumor is located in the lung. Some tumors cannot be removed because of their size or location. RADIATION THERAPY is a form of high energy X-ray that kills cancer cells. It is used: In combination with chemotherapy and sometimes with surgery. To offer relief from pain or blockage of the airways.

CHEMOTHERAPY is the use of drugs that are effective against cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be injected directly into a vein or given through a catheter, which is a thin tube that is placed into a large vein and kept there until it is no longer needed. Some chemotherapy drugs are taken by pill. Chemotherapy may be used: In conjunction with surgery. In more advanced stages of the disease to relieve symptoms. In all stages of small cell cancer.

Diagnosis

CT (computerised tomography) scan

A CT scan takes a series of x-rays that build up a three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body. A CT scan can help to find the exact site and size of the cancer, or to see if it has spread. The scan is painless, but takes longer than an x-ray (about 1030 minutes). CT scans give a small amount of radiation, which is very unlikely to harm you and will not harm anyone you come into contact with. You may be asked not to eat or drink anything for at least four hours before your appointment. Most people who have a CT scan are given a special drink or injection about an hour before the scan, to allow particular areas to be seen more clearly. This may make you feel hot all over for a few minutes. If you are allergic to iodine or have asthma, it is important to tell your doctor and the person doing the test before you have the injection or drink. It is usually still possible to have the injection, but to help prevent a reaction you will be given treatment with steroids before the injection. You will probably be able to go home as soon as the scan is over.

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Spiral CT scan
Some hospitals use low-dose spiral CT scans. A CT scanning machine rotates rapidly around the body, taking more than one hundred pictures in sequence. The scan can detect smaller lung tumours than a conventional CT scan and takes only a few minutes. Spiral CT scans are quite new and you may have to travel to a specialist hospital to have one. They are not always necessary, but you can discuss with your doctor whether one would be useful in your case.

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Bronchoscopy
A doctor, or a specially trained nurse, examines the inside of the lung airways and takes samples of the cells (called biopsies). Normally a thin, flexible tube called a bronchoscope is used and the test is carried out under local anaesthetic. Sometimes a rigid bronchoscope is used instead. If this happens, a general anaesthetic is given and you may have to stay in hospital overnight. The CT scan you have had will tell

the doctors whether a bronchoscopy will be helpful. It will also guide the doctor or nurse to the abnormal area in the lung. Before your bronchoscopy, you will be asked not to eat or drink anything for a few hours. Just before the test you may be given a mild sedative, to help you relax and relieve any discomfort. You will be given another medicine which reduces the production of natural fluids in the mouth and throat. This medicine can make your mouth feel dry. Once you are comfortable, a local anaesthetic will be sprayed on to the back of your throat, making it numb. The bronchoscope is then gently passed into your nose or mouth and down into the lung airways. The doctor or nurse can look through the bronchoscope to check for any abnormalities. Photographs and biopsies can be taken at the same time. The test may be slightly uncomfortable, but it only takes a few minutes. You should not eat or drink for at least an hour afterwards, because your throat will be numb and you wouldnt know if food and drink went down the wrong way. As soon as the sedation has worn off you will be able to go home. You should not drive for 24 hours after the test and should arrange for someone to collect you from hospital, as you may feel sleepy. You may have a sore throat for a couple of days after your test, but this will soon disappear.