Like most types of cancers, lung cancer is also a result of an abnormal occurrence in the cell of our body. Normally, our body maintains a system of checks and balances for cell growth in order for the cells to divide and grow to produce new cell as needed. These checks and balances when disrupted cause uncontrolled division thus proliferation and cell growth are altered and eventually produce a tumor. One of the undisputed causes of lung cancer is cigarette smoking, although there are still many predisposing factor that causes lung cancer.
According to different statistics, approximately 170,000 Americans develop ling cancer each year. Ten percent of this is non smokers. Although most of the people who develop lung cancer are smokers, there are still a lot of factors and conditions that causes the development of lung cancer. Non smokers develop lung cancer because of certain exposure to factors that may likely contribute to the development of cancer in the lungs. Cancer of the lungs is responsible for most common cancer deaths both in men and women.
It is also the predominating disease among the elderly, almost 70% of people diagnosed with lung cancers are over 65 years old and about three percent occur in ages below 45. The increase of lung cancer incidence was due to the increase in tobacco and cigarette smoking especially among elderly. Those non smokers are also, elderly and children are also predisposed to cancer because of the high chances of conducting second hand smoke not only from cigarettes but from other smoke emitting factories, vehicles and household as well.
Another reason or predisposing factor why lung cancer is very common is due to other lung diseases. The presence of certain disease in the lungs plus an increase in other risk factors is somehow another cause of developing lung cancer. There are many available treatments for lung cancer. Surgery is one of the ways to treat lung cancer; it can also be through chemotherapy and radiation. The decision in which treatments are to be used depends on the choice of the patient or the extent of the lung cancer patient.
Treatment of lung cancer may be curative or palliative. The treatment is curative if the treatment aims to eradicate the tumor while the treatment is palliative if it is aimed to treat the underlying symptoms of the condition (Stoppler, M. D. , 2007). Survival rates of patients undergoing LVRS Lung Volume Reduction Surgery (LVRS) is a procedure that is intended to help emphysema. It is not actually intended to cure emphysema but it can improve the quality of life of the patient and is an alternative to lung transplant.
The goal of this surgery is to improve breathing by reducing the size of the lungs through the removal of 20-30% of the diseased portion of the lungs. This diseased portion of the lungs are removed in order for the healthier lung tissue to expand and carry on gas exchange and so that the diaphragm can take its normal shape and function. This surgery can be performed with staples, lasers or the combination of both (American Lung Association, 2005). This surgery is actually done to improve the quality of life of the patients with lung problems.
According to a three month evaluation done of 17 patients, results showed that 79% of the patient who underwent LVRS treatment improved their quality of life. 89% of the patient who were reliant on supplemental oxygen is reduced to using oxygen with exercise. 49% of the patient improved their pulmonary function test with regards to their forced expiratory volume in one second and 23% of the patient improved in force vital capacity. Although these significant studies were made it was still not enough to prove the effectiveness of LVRS in terms of treating other lung diseases.
Another stated reason for this was the lack of resources and the uncontrolled small populations of patients to be observed. According to the study that was conducted by the National Emphysema treatment Trial (NETT), they have found out that emphysema patients benefited more surgery than those patients taking medications. LRVS has been found to be very beneficial to patients with emphysema or even severe emphysema, the study that was conducted by NETT showed increasing survival rates among the patients.
NETT researchers was able to described this effects after following 1218 patients for an average of 4.3 years, which was two years longer than the primary results that was reported in 2003 (Bio-Medicine, 2006). The best and common treatment for early stage of lung cancer is through anatomic pulmonary resection but not all patients can avail such surgery. Most of the patients that have severe emphysema and lung cancer are not immediately advised or treated with this surgery. In order to be a candidate for this surgery the patient must first meet the needed criteria but unfortunately most patient are unable to do so.
That is why with the introduction of volume reduction surgery or LVRS, there is a chance for those patients with disabling emphysema and those at an early stage to improve their condition and respiratory function. A study was conducted on five patients with suspected/ proven lung cancer and has severe emphysema. These patients are poor candidate for anatomical lobectomy and they all had lobectomy combined with volume reduction of one or more of their lobes. Over all the five patients did well after surgery.
The patients showed improvement in their respiratory function. The study also concluded that selected patients with emphysema and lung cancer that is situated on the area of the emphysema may undergo Lobectomy and volume reduction to increase life expectance and improve respiratory function. Thus increasing the survival rate of the patient and improving respiratory function (DeMeester, S. R. , et al, 1998). A study was conducted on patients with resectable lung cancer and severe respiratory disease due to emphysema.
The patients that were studied had to undergo a combined cancer resection with lung volume reduction surgery. The purpose of the study that was conducted on these patients was to review effects and chances of those patients. The review was done on 21 patients with lung cancer with severe emphysema that had this operation in order to eliminate cancer. The result showed that the 21 patients, their mean preoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second was 29%, residual volume was 271% and the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide was 34%.
The nine cancer patients had severe emphysema on their lobes and underwent LVRS with lobectomy. The remaining 12 patients underwent a supplementation of LVRS in order to perform cancer resection lobectomy and wedge resection. No deaths occurred and the postoperative complications were minimal. All the patients improved breathing postoperatively and the survival rate of the patients were a hundred percent. Over all the study concluded that patients who underwent LVRS with other combined surgery has an acceptable risk and a good chance of a long term survival (Chong, C.K. , et al, 2004).
Conclusion Lung cancer and other respiratory diseases are one of the major causes of deaths among men and women. With the introduction of LVRS the chances of these patients are somehow improved. As the different studies and reviews that were conducted on LVRS combined with other Lung surgery concluded, the survival rates of patients with lung cancer increases. Those who were able to undergo LVRS showed significant improvement in the quality of their life and respiratory function.
Another good outcome of this surgery is that the risk are acceptable and making the patients live a lone term of their lives to function as normal as they can. It is still important that cancer patients are diagnosed early and treated promptly.
References: American Lung Association, (2005). Lung Volume Reduction Surgery Fact Sheet. Retrieved July 7, 2008 from http://www. lungusa. org/site/pp. asp? c=dvLUK9O0E&b=992745 Beckles, M, A. , et al. , (2003). The Physiologic Evaluation of Patients with Lung Cancer Being Considered for Resectional Surgery. American College of Chest Physicians. Retrieved http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=15725730