Cancer of the lung, like all cancers, results from an abnormality in the body's basic unit of life, the cell. Normally, the body maintains a system of checks and balances on cell growth so that cells divide to produce new cells only when needed. Disruption of this system of checks and balances on cell growth results in an uncontrolled division and proliferation of cells that eventually forms a mass known as a tumor.
Symptoms of metastatic lung tumors depend on the location and size. About 30%-40% of people with lung cancer have some symptoms or signs of metastatic disease.
Lung cancer most often spreads to the liver, the adrenal glands, the bones, and the brain.
Metastatic lung cancer in the liver usually does not cause symptoms, at least by the time of diagnosis.
Metastatic lung cancer in the adrenal glands also typically causes no symptoms by the time of diagnosis.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. The radiation can be delivered by a machine that directs the high-energy rays towards your cancer, or by a small radioactive pellet that gets implanted in or near the tumour.
Don't' smoke. If you smoke, quit: Choosing not to smoke is the very best way to prevent lung cancer. If you do smoke, quit. If you've tried to quit and it didn't work, try again. As soon as you quit smoking, your risk or lung cancer goes down. The sooner you quit, the lower your risk.
