According to the Center for Disease Control, as many as
107,416 men and 89,271 women are diagnosed with cancer of the lungs each year. Lung
cancer is a particularly damaging disease that can quickly metastasize
(spread) throughout the body, causing serious health issues, including, in many
cases, death.
Lung cancer starts when the DNA of cells within the lung
malfunction and mutate. This can occur through a variety of reasons, especially
toxic exposure from chemicals in cigarettes or industrial chemicals. As the DNA
mutates, the ability of the cell to regulate its own growth is compromised.
This causes the cell to grow out of control into large masses called tumors.
Lung cancer tumors start in the lung but rarely do they stay
there if left untreated. Small pieces of tumor commonly break off and spread to
other areas of the body. The main mode of transportation for these tumor cells
is the lymph system. The lymph system is a network of tunnels connected by
lymph nodes that transport an immune system substance called lymph throughout
the body. Cancer cells often break off and infect lymph nodes, which, in turn,
can send infected cells through the lymph vessels to other areas of the body
such as the heart, brain or liver. Once in these new areas, the cell branches
out new blood vessels, attaching itself to the body's blood and nutrient
supply. This allows the single cancer cell to rapidly grow into a tumor in the
new area of the body.
Cancer cells can also break off from the primary tumor and
be transported to other areas of the body though the bloodstream. Just like the
lymph system, blood vessels provide a network of channels all over the body.
This allows the cancer cell to migrate to other important organs and cause
secondary tumors to develop.
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