According to the American Lung Association, lung cancer affects more than 370,000 people in the US each year. Lung cancer starts when abnormal cells grow and cluster together to form a tumor. Unlike normal cells, these cells grow without order — destroying the healthy lung tissue around them. If a tumor grows in the lungs, it has the potential to block a major airway. Cancerous tumors can also spread to different parts of the body. When a cancerous tumor in the lungs sheds its cells, these cells can be carried to other parts of the body through the blood or the fluid that surrounds the lung tissue (lymph).
If you are experiencing a chronic cough, chest pain, chronic hoarseness, weight loss, loss of appetite, shortness of breath or weakness, see your doctor immediately.
