Lung cancer
4 articles shown
Starting Over With Breathing Practice After Lung Surgery
A first-person account of recovery after surgery to remove part of a lung: using a breathing exercise device, coughing and clearing mucus, and gradually building up to walking. It shares the lesson that recovery is not a straight line, but something you build a little at a time, listening to the signals your own body sends.
Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer — EGFR, ALK, and the Wall Called Resistance
Lung cancers with EGFR or ALK mutations can be treated with targeted pills, but over time resistance sets in and the drug stops working. Even then, doctors can re-check the mutation and switch to a next-generation drug, making it possible to keep treatment going as a long-term battle.
Same Name, Two Diseases: Why Lung Cancer Is Split Into Non-Small Cell and Small Cell
Lung cancer is divided into non-small cell and small cell types based on how the cancer cells look. Small cell cancer spreads quickly and is treated mainly with drugs and radiation, while non-small cell cancer grows more slowly and can often be removed by surgery when caught early. Non-small cell cancer in particular relies on genetic-mutation and immune-marker testing to decide on targeted or immunotherapy, so this distinction shapes the whole treatment plan.
Low-Dose Chest CT: Who Actually Needs Lung Cancer Screening?
Low-dose chest CT is a screening test aimed at finding lung cancer before symptoms appear in high-risk people over 50 who have smoked for years. It catches smaller nodules than an X-ray but produces frequent false positives that require follow-up, and it isn't recommended for non-smokers. Screening is no substitute for quitting smoking.