Understanding Oat Cell Lung Cancer

A Deadly Opponent – The Oat Cell Lung Cancer

There are no accurate figures in terms of how widespread oat cell lung cancer, but it is obvious that this is one of the most deadly types of lung cancers. How does this insidious disease work? What is oat cell lung cancer? This type of carcinoma initially affects the big tracts of the lung and expands rapidly. The cells appearing on the spot have a distinct look and they are called oat cells. Another common name for this disease is small cell lung cancer or SCLC. The fact that this sort of cancer expands extremely rapidly carries two major consequences. First of all the tumor is more susceptible to respond to chemotherapy and secondly it means that it is much more dangerous as the carcinoma evolves extremely fast. To make matters worse oat cell lung cancer is difficult to detect in its early stages and thus it is usually discovered in the late stages, where it is next to impossible to heal.

What Causes Oat Cell Lung Cancer

If there is one disease associated with smoking, than oat cell lung cancer must be it. It is estimated that about nine of every ten cases appears due to active smoking. There are studies pointing that passive smoking too might be responsible for certain cases of lung cancer, but their results are being disputed as they are considered biased. Of course exposure to carcinogen substances such as asbestos or radioactive radon can also trigger the disease. It has been found that these substances often act in conjunction with smoking to trigger oat cell lung cancer. As a rule of thumb quitting smoking usually means that the chance of contracting this sort of cancer decreases in time as the lungs absorb the toxic elements and afterwards the body can get rid of them.

Is There Any Cure For Oat Cell Lung Cancer?

Given the fact that most of the time oat cell lung cancer is discovered only in its late stages and that the growth rate of the tumor is extremely high, the chances are very slim, with only one chance in twenty for a person to survive at least two years after the discovery. The main drawback that acts as a catalyst for these grim results is the impossibility of surgery due to its location and the common spreading of the tumor to nearby organs. The only conventional means of fighting back oat cell lung cancer is through chemotherapy. Obviously the results depend very much on the stage that the cancer has reached. For those discovered with such an illness in the early stage, the survival rate goes up to one in five chances. It is crucial in this light to detect the early signs of oat cell lung cancer. The most common symptom is a persistent cough, which may or may not be associated with blood, infections occurring more than the usual, difficulty in breathing and fatigue. Obviously this symptoms may very well be associated with other illnesses, but if you suspect that you have oat cell lung cancer it is for the best that you consult a doctor. The earlier this disease is detected, the higher the chance of survival. Alternatively, you may wish to research alternative cancer treatment methods to cure oat cell lung cancer.

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