Comment from: heartbroken, 75 or over Female (Caregiver)Published: September 05
My mom had been having severe pain in her neck, shoulders and across her breast. We were told after having X-rays and CT scans that she had degenerative discs, and they had collapsed on top of each other causing the pain. We finally took her to a larger city hospital and asked for help with the pain she was having. They ran several tests including a CT scan of her chest. We were then told she had stage 4 inoperable lung cancer, and they gave her two weeks to six months to live. She died two days later.
Comment from: Sue, 35-44 Female (Caregiver)Published: September 05
My dad was sick last year (June 2007). He was told by local general practitioner that he had the flu. He had a chest X-ray that showed a mark on his lung, but the doctor said it was an old infection. He had antibiotics for June, July and August, but the "flu" didn't go away. He had a lot of pain in his neck, so the doctor sent him to physical therapy, which didn't do anything. By end of August 2007, he was so sick, had lost so much weight, that he could barely even walk. A doctor finally decided to give him a second chest X-ray and blood tests. The mark on his lung was still there but bigger. He had a lung biopsy, and it was confirmed he had lung cancer. The only treatment was radiation, which didn't really do anything for him. He was in so much pain that he lost his voice. My dad died on November 17th, 2007. He was only 62 and before he got sick, he was fit and strong.
Comment from: Thankful, 65-74 Female (Patient)Published: September 05
I'm 65 years old and in December of 2006, I had the middle lobe of the right lung removed. The follow-up was three chemotherapy treatments. I get checked every three months by the oncologist, and the surgeon checks me at six-month intervals. There are days that I think back and can't believe I went through all of this, it's like it was someone else, and then I remember that it can come back at any time.
Comment from: scared little sister, 35-44 Female (Caregiver)Published: August 21
My brother was just diagnosed. He is in complete denial. We can not get him to talk, eat, or sleep. All we know is he said the doctor said lung cancer and it was stage 1. I figured that was good. But after reading the sites that stage 1 SLC, does not have a very good outcome and only 16% of survivors live past 5 years. I don't know what to tell him. I am a nurse and worked with chemo patients for 2 years in the past. I believe that quality of life is more important then quantity. He deserves to happy and not to be miserable if it is his time. I just can't tell my mom or sister that I understand him saying no chemo. I am sorry that I am rambling, I am just scared, I will lose him.
Comment from: Carol, 75 or over Female (Patient)Published: August 04
It has been five years since I was told I had non-small cell lung cancer. They removed the upper lobe of my left lung. I did not have chemo or radiation. So far, I am cancer-free. I am 77 years old.
My dad had lung cancer. First, his face and neck area was swollen. During that period, we never thought it was cancer, and later on, the swelling moved to his arms and chest area. After 12 days, we found out it was lung cancer from a CT scan had had done. He immediately started chemotherapy and radiation therapy. For the first two chemo rounds, the swelling was gone, but it came back. My dad survived about one to two months after the diagnosis.
I started coughing up bloody phlegm six weeks ago. I don't have a family doctor and had to make an appointment to see one in emergency care. He X-rayed me and gave me a pulmonary test and sent me for a CT scan in another town. I went to London and saw a top specialist who told me I have lung cancer, and it has spread to my lymph nodes. I now need a biopsy and will need radiation and chemo therapy. I'm 65 and not ready to go yet.
Patient Discussions are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on MedicineNet. The opinions expressed in the comments section are of the author and the author alone. MedicineNet does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Bronchitis is a disease of the respiratory system in which the bronchial passages become inflamed. There are two types of bronchitis, acute and chronic. Symptoms of acute bronchitis include frequent cough with mucus, lack of energy, wheezing, and possible fever. Treatment may require medication such as bronchial inhalers and predinsone. Supportive treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms with fever reducers, cough suppressants, and rest. Treatment may be more aggressive in patients with pre-existing conditions such as empyema, COPD, or cigarette smoking.
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites). Symptoms of swollen lymph nodes vary greatly. They can sometimes be tender, painful or disfiguring. The treatment of swollen lymph nodes depends upon the cause.
Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD, postnasal drip, bronchitis, pneumonia, medications, and less frequently tumors or other lung disease. Treatment of chronic cough is dependant upon the cause.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a disorder that persistently obstructs bronchial airflow. COPD mainly involves three related conditions, chronic bronchitis, chronic asthma, and emphysema. Symptoms of COPD include chronic cough, shortness of breath, frequent respiratory infections, wheezing, morning headaches, and pulmonary hypertension. Treatment of COPD is focused on the related condition(s).
Ascites, the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity is most commonly caused by cirrhosis of the liver. Some of the other causes of ascites include portal hypertension, congestive heart failure, blood clots, and pancreatitis. The most common symptoms include increased abdominal girth and size, abdominal bloating, and abdominal pain. Treatment depends on the cause of ascites.
Pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining around the lungs, is associated with sharp chest pain upon breathing in. Cough, chest tenderness, and shortness of breath are other symptoms associated with pleurisy. Pleurisy pain can be managed with pain medication and by external splinting of the chest wall.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Hypercalcemia is a condition in which calcium levels in the blood are elevated. Hypercalcemia is associated with other conditions such as hyperparathyroidism, lung cancer, breast cancer, kidney failure, and elevated levels of vitamin D. Symptoms of hypercalcemia include constipation, nausea, abdominal pain, kidney stones, to name a few. Treatment depends on the cause of hypercalcemia.
Smoker's lung photo essay is a collection of pictures and microscopic slides of lung disease caused by cigarette smoking. Smoker's lung refers to the diseases and structural abnormalities in the lung caused by cigarette smoking.
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
Arsenic comes in two forms, inorganic and organic. Organic arsenic poisoning is usually not poisonous to humans; however, inorganic arsenic in large enough amounts can lead to shock and death. Symptoms of arsenic poisoning include nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration, dark urine, vertigo, delirium, shock, and death. Treatment for arsenic poisoning includes Hemodialysis and a variety of drugs.
Asbestos exposure lung disease is divided into three main types, asbestosis (lung scarring caused by asbestos fibers), disease of the lining of the lung (pleural plaques, scarring, or fluid accumulation), and lung cancer. Mesothelioma is cancer of the lining of the lung caused by asbestos exposure. Cancers of the larynx, throat, kidney, esophagus, and gallbladder have been linked to asbestos exposure. Treatment is dependant upon the type of condition related to asbestos exposure.
Nicotine is delivered to the brain through smoking, chewing, or sniffing tobacco. Nicotine is an addictive agent. Common names for nicotine products include smokes, cigs, butts, chew, dip, spit, or snuff. Habitual nicotine use leads to many debilitating medical conditions.
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that forms in the chest lining (pleural mesothelioma), abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), and the heart sac (pericardial mesothelioma) in rare cases. Chest pain, shortness of breath, weight loss, and night sweats are symptoms and signs of mesothelioma. Treatment depends upon the stage and type of mesothelioma.
The lungs are primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood. Eliminating carbon dioxide from the blood is important, because as it builds up in the blood, headaches, drowsiness, coma, and eventually death may occur. The air we breathe in (inhalation) is warmed, humidified, and cleaned by the nose and the lungs.
Secondhand smoke can cause illness and disease in nonsmokers. Some of these conditions include lung cancer, heart disease, respiratory illnesses such as asthma, SIDS, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Learn how you can protect yourself and your family from secondhand smoke exposure in the home environment and workplace.
Cigarette smoking is associated with a wide variety of abnormalities
throughout the body that cause not only illness, but also, all too often, death.
Indeed, if all deaths from diseases related to smoking (lung disease,
heart
disease, and cancers of many different organs) were considered, a case could be
made for cigarette smoking as the leading cause of death in industrialized
countries. Ironically, it is also the most preventable cause of death in our
society!
This photo essay will focus on smoker's lung. The term "smoker's lung"
refers to the structural and functional abnormalities (diseases) in the lung caused by
cigarette smoking. First, the normal structure and function of the lung will be
described and illustrated. Then, the structural and functional abnormalities
caused by smoking will be described and illustrated.
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
Cancer RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the
My mom had been having severe pain in her neck, shoulders and across her breast. We were told after having X-rays and CT scans that she had degenerative discs, and they had collapsed on top of each other causing the pain. We finally took her to a larger city hospital and asked for help with the pain she was having. They ran several tests including a CT scan of her chest. We were then told she had stage 4 inoperable lung cancer, and they gave her two weeks to six months to live. She died two days later.
Related Reading: breast | CT scan | lung cancer