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$ 4800
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Overview of Lung Cancer in India
Cancer occurs in the lungs when an aberrant and unchecked cell grows and divides, impairing the body's ability to deliver oxygen to every cell normally. It is common in men who have high-risk factors, such as genetics, smoking, and environmental pollutants. But it can also happen to women. The main risk factor, smoking, is often present in 85% of cases that are identified. Passive smoke poses a risk to active smokers.
For Indian patients, the cost for lung cancer treatment in India is between USD 4,800 and USD 6,400. For patients from abroad, the cost ranges from USD 7,200 to USD 8,800.
What is lung cancer?
The condition known as lung cancer is brought on by unchecked lung cell division. Normal cell division involves the production of additional copies of your cells. However, occasionally they experience alterations (mutations) that lead them to continue producing more money than they ought to. Uncontrolled cell division from damaged tissue results in lumps of tissue called tumours, which eventually impair the function of your organs.
The term lung cancer refers to tumours that originate in the lungs, typically in the small air sacs (alveoli) or airways (bronchi or bronchioles). Usually, cancers that start elsewhere and spread to your lungs are called after their original location; for example, your doctor would call it cancer that has spread to your lungs.
Causes of Lung Cancer
Numerous risk factors contribute to lung cancer, such as:
- Lung cancer is caused by smoking in up to 90% of cases.
- Coal gas processing, steel, nickel, chromium, and asbestos exposure.
- Radiation exposure. By breathing air tainted with radon gas, miners of uranium, fluorspar, and hematite may be exposed to radiation.
The following are some additional risk factors for lung cancer:
- Secondhand smoke
- Air contamination
- Family background
- Some mutations in the genes
- Chronic lung conditions include COPD and asthma
Not all people who are exposed to lung cancer risk factors will go on to get the illness. On the other hand, lung cancer experts advise people to minimise their exposure and be aware of the hazards.
Types of Lung Cancer:
Although there are many types of lung cancer, the two primary types that are commonly referred to as "lung cancer" are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
The most prevalent kind of lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). More than 80% of cases of lung cancer are caused by it. Squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma are common varieties. Less frequently occurring forms of NSCLC include sarcomatoid carcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma.
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
Compared to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC) grows more quickly and is more challenging to treat. It frequently manifests as a tiny lung tumour that has already migrated to other body areas. Among the specific forms of SCLC are the combination of small cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma, also known as oat cell carcinoma.
Other types of cancer in the lungs
Additional cancers that can begin in or near the lungs include pleural mesothelioma (lung lining cancer), sarcomas (bone or soft tissue cancer), and lymphomas (cancer in the lymph nodes). They typically aren't called lung cancer and are treated differently.
Cancer is typically staged according to the size of the original tumour, the extent to which it penetrates the surrounding tissue, and if it has spread to other organs or lymph nodes. There are staging guidelines specific to each type of cancer.
Lung cancer staging
There are multiple sizes and spread options for each stage that can fit into that group. In Stage III cancer, for example, the original tumour may be smaller than in Stage II cancer, but it may be at a more advanced stage due to other causes. Lung cancer is generally staged as follows:
- Cancer at stage 0 (in situ) occurs in the bronchus or the lung's upper lining. It is not present outside of the lung or in other areas of the lung.
- Stage I: The cancer has not progressed beyond the lung.
- Stage II: The cancer has progressed to lymph nodes within the lung, is larger than Stage I, or has many tumours in the same lung lobe.
- Stage III: The cancer is bigger than Stage II, has travelled to neighbouring lymph nodes or structures, or has many tumours in separate lung lobes.
- Stage IV: The cancer has progressed to distant organs, the fluid surrounding the lung, the other lung, or the heart.
Limited vs. extensive stage
Although small cell lung cancer is now diagnosed in stages I through IV, the terms limited or extensive stage may also be used. Whether the region can be treated with a single radiation field is the basis for this.
One lung is the primary site of limited-stage SCLC, which can also occasionally be found in the lymph nodes above the collarbone on the same side or in the central part of the chest.
One lung is completely covered in extensive-stage SCLC, or it has progressed to the other lung, lymph nodes on the other side of the lung, or other body areas.
Procedure:
The following are some different lung cancer treatments:
Chemotherapy
One type of cancer treatment is chemotherapy, which involves taking medications orally or intravenously to destroy the cancer cells. Chemotherapy may not always be recommended for severe instances.
The most widely used medications for chemotherapy consist of:
- Carboplatin and Cisplatin
- Paclitaxel
- Gemcitabine
- Docetaxel
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is the application of medications that use the body's defences to destroy cancer cells. The following medications are utilised in this treatment:
- Nivolumab
- Pembrolizumab
- Cemiplimab
Radiation therapy
Cancer cells are killed by radiation therapy using high-energy X-rays. Depending on other factors and the stage of the cancer, radiation therapy may be performed. There are primarily two kinds:
- Radiation therapy uses an external beam.
- Brachytherapy, or internal radiation therapy
Radiofrequency ablation technique
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) may be an option for certain patients with small lung cancers located at the edge of the lung, particularly when surgery is not an option. The tumour is heated in RFA using high-energy radio waves. Through the skin, a tiny, needle-like probe is introduced and guided to the tumour's tip. The probe is electrically charged after the tip is in place, which heats the tumour and destroys cancer cells.
Targeted drug therapy
New blood vessels must be created for the cancer cells to continue growing the tumour. These medications target cancer cells and prevent the growth of new blood vessels. Certain drugs that prevent the formation of new blood vessels:
- Ramucirumab
- Bevacizumab
Surgery
Among the surgical techniques used to treat lung cancer are:
Lobectomy: In this procedure, the entire lobe containing the tumour or tumours is removed.
Segmentectomy: In these operations, only a section of a lobe is removed.
Pneumonectomy: The entire lung is removed during this treatment. If the cancer is at the centre of the chest, it will work well.
Sleeve resection: Certain lung tumours that have progressed to the central airways can be treated with sleeve resection.
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Indications of Lung Cancer:
Lung cancer's nebulous symptoms can mimic those of other benign diseases and infectious ailments. In certain instances, the symptoms are identified during regular physical examinations (a lung lesion is detected by X-ray screening). Lung cancer's most typical symptoms include:
- A persistent cough or a shift in a persistent cough.
- Breathlessness
- Sputum tinged with blood
- Pain in the chest
- Unaccounted-for weight loss
- An obstruction in the windpipe causes wheezing.
- Recurrent episodes of pneumonia
- Lung cancer may also be indicated by bronchitis.
- Vocal hoarseness
Additionally, some symptoms may appear unrelated to the lungs. These could be brought on by lung cancer spreading to other body areas. We advise patients who experience any symptoms lasting longer than four weeks to have them investigated.
Risk Factors:
The type of treatment used for lung cancer determines the side effects associated with it. In relation to your therapy, your provider can advise you on the possible complications to be aware of and the adverse effects to anticipate.
Chemotherapy
- Vomiting and nausea.
- Diarrhoea.
- Loss of hair.
- Exhaustion.
- Mouth ulcers.
- Weakness, tingling, or loss of sensation (neuropathy).
Immunotherapy
- Exhaustion.
- Rash that itches.
- Diarrhoea.
- Vomiting and nausea.
- Discomfort in the joints.
- Pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis, and other complications may cause further adverse consequences.
Radiation therapy
- Breathlessness.
- Cough.
- Pain.
- Exhaustion.
- Having trouble swallowing.
- Skin that is red, dry, or irritated.
- Vomiting and nausea.
Surgery
- Breathlessness.
- Ache in the chest wall.
- Cough.
- Exhaustion.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
There live the blind texts separated they right at the coast of the Semantics.
In India, the cost of treating lung cancer can vary significantly, ranging from approximately USD 3,500 to USD 40,000. This depends on several variables, including the facility, the cancer's severity, the type of treatment, and any additional testing that may be necessary. Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are all possible components of the treatment strategy, and their costs vary.
According to the RGCIRC, a person with stage 4 lung cancer has an average life expectancy of one year, though this might vary significantly based on personal health and available treatments. The Cleveland Clinic estimates that the five-year relative survival rate for lung cancer is 22.9% overall, with lower rates for metastatic cancer and greater rates for localised cancer.
It takes more than a year for lung cancer to develop into a tumour large enough to be seen on imaging tests. Over the next six months, it may advance from stage 1 to stage 4.
Lung cancer may be detected early if a patient has a new, persistent cough that gets worse and causes them to cough up blood.
For cases identified when lung cancer is still localised (inside the lungs), the five-year survival rate is 56%. Nevertheless, early diagnosis accounts for only 16 percent of lung cancer occurrences.