There are many times that a patient will end up suffering from anxiety due to the large amount of information that they are given in regards to the wide variety of testing that they will have to endure, as well as numerous treatment options that will be explained to them. Once all of the information that has been given to them sinks in, numerous patients end up suffering from anxiety, and the large number of symptoms that are most commonly related to the mental health condition that is commonly known as depression. There are several different symptoms and warning signs of this condition, and some of the most common symptoms that numerous lung cancer patients suffer from are included below.

• Problems with sleeping

• Nervousness

• A difference in the individual’s diet, such as sleeping too much or sleeping too little

• Mood changes

• Frustration

• The constant feeling of being tired

• Bouts of tearfulness and crying

• A decreased interest in activities that at one time brought them pleasure

One of the other effects of lung cancer that can often result is the occurrence of PTSD or post traumatic stress disorder. This specific type of disorder often occurs in individuals that have faced extremely traumatic circumstances, and the side effects that are commonly associated with this type of condition can be quite severe, and such an event as learning that you have been diagnosed by your physician as having  lung cancer also falls into this category.

While learning that you have lung cancer will affect different people in different people it is almost certain that it will affect every individual in one way or another. After all this is a very serious illness that in many cases can result in death. Although these effects can be devastating there are support groups that may help relieve the anxieties and other effects of lung cancer diagnosis that may be recommended by your health care professional. In extreme cases there may be other measures that can be taken to help alleviate these symptoms. The best course of action is to discuss your feelings and concerns with your doctor to determine the best possible way of dealing with these feelings and to determine if there may be additional factors to consider. In some cases your doctor may consider it necessary to prescribe a mild anti depressant or other type of medication to help the issue.

In many cases the symptoms of lung cancer are not present in the early stages of the disease because the cancer is limited to only a small area of the lung and affects no other areas of the body. As the cancer progresses or grows it can spread or grow beyond the area of the lungs and this is usually when symptoms begin to show themselves letting a person know that there is a problem.

When symptoms do show themselves they may do so in several ways. Some of these signs may include coughing, difficulty breathing, fatigue, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss and hair loss. Although all of these symptoms can be contributed to other diseases they should still be checked because they all represent some kind of abnormality within the body. Even if this does not represent lung cancer it may be some other serious condition that left untreated will continue to get worse until it becomes so severe that treatment may become more difficult.

It is an important fact to remember that symptoms of lung cancer or any other illness or disease are your body’s way of telling you there is a potential problem. It is important that when these symptoms do occur you pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you as this will only help improve the chances of receiving a good prognosis for the cancer. This will also make any treatments that may be available to you for lung cancer more effective. Remember that the longer you wait to have this cancer diagnosed the more your chances of treatment being effective are decreased. One reason for this is because after diagnosis there are still many other steps that must be considered before treatment may actually begin. After diagnosis it will be necessary to have certain tests conducted in order to determine how advanced the cancer has become. This process is called staging the disease. After the stage has been determined the information will be used to determine which treatment will be the most effective in each person’s individual case.

Stage 1

Stage 1 indicates that the cancer is limited to the lungs and has not yet spread to other areas of the body. This stage is further divided into two sublevels. In the beginning of this stage the tumor is often still quite small however by the end of this stage the tumors in some cases may be large enough to cause the partial collapse of the affected lung.

Stage 2

This is the second of the lung cancer stages and this stage is also further divided into sublevels. At the beginning of this stage the cancer is still relatively small but has begun to spread to other areas such as nearby lymph nodes. By the end of this stage one of two things have occurred. The tumor has grown in size and has spread to either the lymph nodes or tissue surrounding the lungs however it is not usually found in both areas.

Stage 3

This is the last stage of lung cancer that has sublevels. The beginning of this stage usually indicates that the cancer may have spread to more distant lymph nodes located on the same side of the body as the lung that is affected by cancer. In some cases the cancer may still be within the nearby lymph nodes however in these cases it is also present in tissues surrounding the lungs as well. By the end of this stage several things may have happened including the spread to lymph nodes on the other side of the body or higher than the collarbone. Fluid with cancer cells present may have built up around the lungs and the cancer may have spread to other areas of the chest such as the heart. There may also be several tumors present at this point.

Stage 4

Stage 4 is the most advanced of the lung cancer stages and generally means that the cancer has spread to affect more of the lung as well as moved beyond the lung to other parts of the body including the stomach or liver.

Once lung cancer is diagnosed and the stage has been determined your health care provider will present treatment options specific to your individual circumstances. Factors that will be used to determine which treatment options will be offered and which ones will be considered most effective. These factors will include information such as how advanced the cancer is, how old the individual is, how far the cancer has spread and the general health of the individual concerned. After this information is gathered it will be used to determine which treatment will be the most effective.

Although coughing is a common part of life for many people particularly those who are smokers or who once were smokers any cough that is new should be investigated further. As well as new coughs attention should also be paid to a persistent cough. This is a cough that does not go away or gets worse over time.

If you are coughing up blood no matter how small the amount you should have it checked right away. This is not a normal occurrence at any time and is usually indicative of a problem.

Respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that keep coming back are a common occurrence in individuals that have developed lung cancer and should be monitored closely.

Another of the lung cancer symptoms that have been known to be present in cases of lung cancer includes wheezing and hoarseness. These may indicate that there is a blockage in or around the area of the lungs.

When lung cancer is left untreated or undiagnosed it can spread or metastasize to other areas of the body such as the liver, bones and brain among many other areas. When lung cancer has spread to the liver there are usually no symptoms present in the early stages however if it has spread to the bones it may cause pain in the bones specifically in the back, thighs and ribs.

If lung cancer reaches the brain it can cause serious problems and may present symptoms such as seizures, weakness on one side of the body and changes in vision.

Other symptoms that may be noticed as lung cancer spreads may include muscle weakness, skin rashes, fatigue, weight loss and a decrease in sodium levels.

If you experience any of the lung cancer symptoms or any other symptoms you feel are unusual or have no other explanation you should seek the advice and counsel of a medical care professional right away. There are treatments available for cases of lung cancer however some of these treatments may become less effective as the stage of cancer progresses. In order to have access to the best and most effective treatments it is necessary to detect this cancer in the earliest stages possible.

• Smoking cigarettes is one of the biggest causes that individuals end up suffering from this disease. As a matter of fact, as much as 87% of all lung cancer patients are due to patients that have either previously smoked cigarettes, or they currently are addicted to this harmful habit.

• Every single year there are as many as 219,000 individuals that are diagnosed with this deadly disease just in the United States alone. Approximately 116,000 of these patients are men, and approximately 103,000 of them are women.

• Even after a person stops smoking cigarettes, they are still at a high risk of acquiring this type of disease for as long as 20 years after they have stopped.

• There are more patients that have never picked up the habit of smoking cigarettes that end up losing their life because of lung cancer, than patients that die from ovarian cancer, liver cancer, or AIDS.

• Out of all deaths that occur from a variety of different types of cancer, more than 28% of these deaths are caused from lung cancer.

• When you combine the total number of deaths that have occurred from diseases like prostate cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer combined, there are more than 160,000 people that die each year from the complications of lung cancer, and this is higher than the above listed types of cancers combined.

• One of the sad facts about lung cancer is that approximately half of them occur in individuals that have already taken the steps to become smoke free.

• Out of all of the different races that make up our society, the specific race that suffers from the most cases of diagnosed lung cancer, and the most loss of life, it is the individuals that are of the African American race.

• It is unfortunate, but there is only about 16% of the individuals that are diagnosed with this type of disease, that receive a diagnosis before the disease has spread to other areas of the body, such as the regional lymph nodes and other areas.

• The leading cause of cases where individuals acquire the deadly disease of lung cancer occurs in individuals that have never had the habit of smoking cigarettes. The second leading cause of this type of serious disease is in individuals that have suffered from exposure to the harmful chemical known as Radon.

• After an individual has already been diagnosed with having lung cancer, there is as much as 84% of these patients that end up losing their life within the first 5 years.

• Other than smoking cigarettes that leads to many cases of lung cancer, other facts about lung cancer involve serious problems that often lead to the diagnosis of this disease that would include scarring that is caused from tuberculosis, second-hand-smoke, exposure to Radon that was caused from environmental or occupational exposure, and exposure to arsenic or organic chemicals, air pollution, asbestos, or radiation.

Not only are the individual’s personal factors considered in determining which treatment is used for cervical cancer but also factors of the cancer itself. This would include how advanced it is and what specific areas are affected by it. These are key factors and are very important and necessary when making the final decision on the specific treatment method that will be of most benefit for the patient. Other information that will also be reviewed includes how many different treatment options will need to be used. As you can see, there are several options to consider in relation to cervical cancer treatment.

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that is generally treated by using three different types of treatment methods. The most important would involve making sure patients receive HPV treatment before cervical cancer has a chance to occur. Other treatment methods that are commonly used would include the use of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. In several cases, just one form of treatment does not improve the cancer enough on its own. When this problem occurs, then your physician will generally suggest that it be used in conjunction with another form of treatment as well.

Before patients begin cervical cancer treatment, many physicians go out of their way to make sure that the patient is well informed about the treatment options that will be used, and that they feel at ease and comfortable before the procedures begin. Doctors will generally provide their patients with a description on how the procedure will be done, how long the procedure may take, common side effects and risk factors that surround each type of procedure, as well as the advantages and benefits that are involved with each treatment option. During this time it is extremely important to speak with your physician about any type of questions that you may have, or any type of concerns that may have come to mind. This helps to give patients confidence in not only their doctor, but also in the procedures they will undergo.

Two of the most common factors that increase the risk of cervical cancer are medical history and lifestyle particularly sexual proclivities. Human papillomavirus or HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that is thought to seriously increase the risk of developing cervical cancer. This virus is known to infect the genitals, genital tract and area surrounding the anus however not all types of this virus are dangerous and there is now a vaccine to protect against some types of HPV.

There are several factors in relation to sexual history that may increase the chances of developing cervical cancers. These factors may include age, number of partners and exposure. If a woman becomes sexual active at a very young age or has numerous sexual partners it may increase this risk. It may also increase this risk if a woman has sexual encounter with men who had contact with other women that had cervical cancer.

In addition to these factors there are other conditions which may contribute to cervical cancer causes including poverty, eating habits, history of abnormal pap exams and smoking.

When poverty is an issue women may not have the necessary access to receive regular gynecological exams such as pap smears. For this reason when abnormal cells form it goes unnoticed if no symptoms are present.

If a woman does not consume proper amounts of fruit and vegetables it may increase the risk of developing cervical cancer. Smoking may also increase this risk. How much smoking may increase the risk of cervical cancer depends on how long she has been smoking and how much she smokes on a regular basis.

Because most cases of cervical cancer are detected by abnormal pap exams not having these exams can significantly increase the risk of cervical cancer. This is because in many cases these abnormalities are not noticed without the aid of pap exams to detect them.

Women with low immune systems are also at an increased risk of developing cervical cancer. This is sometimes found in women who have tested HIV positive or have aids and in some cases in women who take medications to lower the immune system such as those that have had some sort of organ transplant.

In some cases exposure to some chemicals such as those found on farms or in manufacturing plants may also increase the risk of developing cervical cancer.

Although specific cervical cancer causes are not known it is helpful to know the factors that may increase the risk of developing this type of cancer. If you are in any of the increased risk groups you should above all have regular gynecological exams to detect this cancer as early as possible. The earlier cervical cancer is diagnosed and treated the better off you will be.

Stage 0

In this stage of cervical cancer, cells are only on the surface of the cervix and have not infected deeper tissues. This is the earliest stage of cervical cancer and is often commonly referred to as carcinoma in situ.

Stage I

This stage is divided into two sub levels which are also divided into additional sub levels. Each sub level indicates new developments in relation to the cervical cancer in question. In this stage the cancer cells have infected the cervix but have not spread past the cervix to other areas.

• Stage IA

In the earliest cases of stage IA cervical cancer can only be seen with the use of a microscope. In the early parts of this stage the affected area is usually a depth of less than 1/8 of an inch and a width of less than ¼ of an inch however by the end of this stage the depth may grow up to 1/5 of an inch in depth.

• Stage IB

In this stage cervical cancer has grown enough to be seen without the aid of a microscope and depth may now be in excess or 1/5 of an inch. By the end of this stage the cancer may grow to be as much as 1 ¾ of an inch or larger however in the early parts of this stage it is generally smaller.

Stage II

In the third of the cervical cancer stages cancer may have spread to nearby areas but still has not progressed beyond the pelvic area. In the early parts of this stage cancer may have spread to the upper portion of the vagina however the lower portion is still unaffected. By the end of this stage cancer may spread to the tissues close to the cervix known as the parametrial tissue.

Stage III

In the beginning of stage III cancer has most likely spread to include the lower part of the vagina and as by the end of this stage may also reach the pelvic wall and block urine flow to the bladder.

Stage IV

In the last of the cervical cancer stages cancer has started to spread beyond the pelvic region to include other areas of the body. This is cervical cancer at its most advanced stage and in most cases is considered incurable. Some of the areas of the body that cancer may have spread to by the end of this stage include the lungs, kidneys and other distant parts of the body.

In order to prevent cervical cancer from reaching this point it is important to maintain regular gynecological exams that screen for abnormalities in the cervical cells and report any usual symptoms to your doctor right away.

Not all cell abnormalities or changes will lead to cervical cancer however if these abnormal cells also known as dysplasia are left untreated for extended periods of times they can turn cancerous. After turning cancerous they can spread beyond the cervix into other areas of the body making treatment much more difficult. In some cases cells affected by dysplasia may turn back to normal cells without any form of treatment however it is best to let a doctor determine the chances of this happening.

In order to detect abnormal cell growth and formation it is recommended that girls begin receiving regular screening by a qualified health care professional around the age of 13-15 years. This screening is commonly called a pap smear and this is how most cases of cervical cancer are detected. This test determines if the cells present are normal or show signs of abnormality. When these abnormal cells are caught in the very early stages treatment is usually quite simple and the progression to cervical cancer can be prevented.

Although signs of cervical cancer are not always present early on they may be in some cases as well as in more advanced stages of cervical cancer. For this reason it is important to know what signs to be aware of in association with cervical cancer. Some of the symptoms you may notice are loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, vaginal bleeding after sex or douching, unusual bleeding between periods or after menopause, bloody or smelly discharge, fatigue, pain during or after sex and pelvic or leg pain. Although these symptoms may not be indicative of cervical cancer in all cases they are still signs that there is a problem and should be dealt with. Any unusual occurrences within your body should be brought to the attention of your health care provider for prompt diagnosis and discussion of treatment options.

If you have experienced any of the signs of cervical cancer or any other symptoms that you feel are unusual or not explained by some other illness or condition it is important that you seek the advice of your family’s health care professional in order to determine the necessity of further action. Further testing may be necessary to determine the presence of cervical cancer. If cervical cancer is found and diagnosed it will then become necessary to determine how advanced it has become. Once this has been done your doctor will discuss treatment options with you. Treatment options will vary from one person to another as not everyone will respond to certain treatments in the same way. In order to determine which treatment will be most effective in your specific case several factors will be considered such as age, general health and stage of cancer. Some treatments may be less effective in advanced stages of cervical cancer.

What is testicular cancer?

Testicular cancer also known as TC is a cancer that develops in the testicles which are the male reproduction organs. When cells grow too quickly it can result in a tumor. Not all tumors are cancerous therefore not all lumps in the testicle area are indicative of testicular cancer.

Is TC treatable?

Testicular cancer is considered somewhat rare and is very treatable. What method is used to treat this cancer is dependent on the person and how advanced the cancer has become. It is most commonly found in males between the ages of 15 and 35 however can develop in males of any age.

Can this type of cancer spread?

Testicular cancer is like any other cancer and can spread to numerous other parts of the body including the lungs, liver, pancreas and any other area. This usual only happens in extreme cases when it is not dealt with when first noticed.

Does TC produce symptoms?

As with any disease cancer or otherwise there are certain signs of testicular cancer. These warning signs are your body’s way of telling you there may be a problem that needs further attention. Pay attention to these signs as it will make treatment much easier and less painful in the long run. Some of these symptoms may include lumps on the testicles, unusual pain or numbness of the testicle area as well as a feeling of heaviness, pain in the lower back and stomach or groin area, withdrawal or loss of interest in sex, weakness and fatigue, swelling of the testicles and a general feeling of not feeling well often referred to as malaise.

How is testicular cancer treated?

TC is most often treated by chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments however in advanced cases surgery is also an option. In some cases surgical removal of the affected testicle is sometimes necessary but normal sexual function usually returns after recovery.

How do I know if I have TC for sure?

If you suspect you are experiencing any of the signs of testicular cancer see a doctor soon. Aside from regular checkups you should also perform self examinations on a regular basis. The best time to do this is right after a bath or shower because the skin is softer and easier to move around at this time. Look for lumps and swelling in the testicles. Testicular cancer can cause testicles to swell up to three times the normal size however it is common for one testicle to be slightly larger and lower than the other so this alone is not a cause for alarm. Remember that the only person that truly knows your body and what is normal for you is you.