Signs of lung cancer in women, are they more likely than men to develop lung cancer?
A study found that due to hormonal differences in the female body, they have a greater chance of developing lung cancers unrelated to smoking. Lungs can also be susceptible because females tend not only naturally produce less testosterone but also evidence indicates there is an increased risk for estrogen-driven tumors as well.
The reason this may occur on occasion has been attributed by researchers primarily (but not exclusively) from exposure and metabolism standpoint--namely how much tobacco smoke enters the lungs when inhaled into the airways and eventually reaches other parts of our bodies where it might accumulate over time before any symptoms show up or even cause carcinogenic changes within these organs such as breasts, ovaries.
Men are more likely to develop lung cancers that affect the main airways in their lungs. They may have many symptoms like coughing and breathing difficulty, instead of women who might experience fatigue or back pain as early signs.
There are many differences in the lungs of males and females.
In the study, lung cancer in women is more likely to be classified as adenocarcinoma while men are likelier to have squamous cell carcinomas.
A recent study of 1,728 patients with new diagnoses for both female and male individuals found that there were significant differences between genders when it came to what type of tumor they had. Females tended towards having adenocarcinomas which make up about 30% percent combined while males showed around 29% likelihood of developing SCC's or Squamous Cell Carcinomal tumors which make up only 20%.
Women are more likely to be diagnosed with less-fatal adenocarcinoma than men, but this is only because they have stronger symptoms. Men tend to develop squamous cell lung cancer that can go undetected for a long time and even cause death.
The information about how each type of lung cancer develops and what its implications are provided insight into some major differences between genders when it comes down to diagnosing these diseases - one being that women often don't show any signs until the disease has progressed much further along in their lungs than male patients do; on top of all this, there's also evidence suggesting female smokers might need lower doses over time which offer fewer side effects compared every other smoker out there!
Causes
A variety of factors can impact the threat of developing lung cancer such as lifestyle, environment, and biology. Women have a 1 in 16 chance to develop it over their lifetime.
Smoking
Tobacco is a cancer-causing agent that takes the lives of women every year. It has been found to be responsible for 80%-90% of lung cancers among females, and it's important not to get complacent about its risks because many people don't understand how deadly tobacco can really be.
Recent studies in the female population have supported a correlation between cigarettes and lung cancer. Women may be more susceptible to carcinogens as they are less equipped with enzymes that can break down these toxins, which is why women experience higher rates of lung cancer after fewer years than men do when exposed to these chemicals.
There is evidence that female smokers are less able to repair damaged DNA caused by smoking when compared to male smokers, which may contribute lead women at greater risk for certain types of lung cancer.
Estrogen
Women are at a higher risk of developing lung cancer than men, and recent studies indicate that estrogen may be part of the reason why. Estrogen might make women more sensitive to carcinogens or facilitate tumor growth.
One study found that breast tumors exposed to estrogen were three times as likely to become malignant compared with those without exposure While it is unclear what effect this hormone has on other kinds of cancers such as lung cancer, these early findings could have far-reaching implications for both sexes because they shed light into how some diseases progress in the body.
Research has found that early menopause is correlated with a reduced risk of lung cancer.
Mutations of Genes
Two that have been specifically identified as important for women when it comes to lung cancer risk are:
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR): This is a type of protein found on the surface of lung cancers. It's most common in women and nonsmokers, but smoking increases your risk as well.
Women are three times more likely than men to carry the mutated Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog gene (KRAS). The KRAS mutation can make a tumor much more aggressive.
Other Risk Factors
Exposure to radon in the home, secondhand smoke, and environmental/occupational exposures are all factors that can increase your likelihood of developing lung cancer.
Treatment
There are many factors that go into developing a treatment plan for cancer. One of the most important is your sex, and research suggests it matters more than you might think. Women consistently respond better to therapies compared with men even though researchers don't know why this may be the case - but there could be hormonal differences at play here (since women have higher levels).
In order to develop an appropriate course of action, consult with your doctor about which treatments will work best for you individually based on these considerations: stage in disease progression; coexisting conditions like heart or lung diseases; general health status including medications taken regularly already.
Surgery
Early-stage lung cancers often have a high success rate for treatment and recovery with surgery, but everyone's case is different. Lung cancer comes in many forms; some are aggressive while others are more benign. Your doctor will recommend the best option for you based on your diagnosis to give you the highest chance of survival or cure without risking too much scarring from extensive repair work that may not be necessary given how early it is in the progression process.
In a study, the five-year survival rate of women who had lung cancer surgery was 75.6% versus 57.9% for men after these procedures; this is due to better outcomes like decreased mortality rates and lower complication rates that are linked with improved care from more female surgeons in comparison with male ones.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy can be used to treat different types of cancers in many ways. Early stages of lung cancer may benefit from stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), which significantly improves survival rates and lowers the risk for recurrence over traditional radiation treatments.
External beam radiation therapy is often used after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells. However, it may also be performed before or during a tumor removal procedure in an attempt to shrink the size of the growth so that more can be removed surgically.
Radiation therapy can also be used as a palliative treatment—that is, it does not cure cancer but instead relieves symptoms.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a therapy that consists of drugs administered intravenously. It helps kill cancer cells and can be used alone or with surgery to create an even more effective treatment plan for the patient.
Women are more likely to survive chemotherapy treatment than men. In one study, the survival rate for women was 42% versus 40% for men.
Targeted Therapies
New treatments for lung cancer are often based on the specific mutation of NSCLC cells. For example, if EGFR mutations exist in a patient's tumor then drugs that target these particular types of mutated cells can be used to help shrink tumors and kill cancerous cells more quickly than before (Eldridge). There are many other targeted therapies available including ones that focus specifically on ALK rearrangements or RET gene mutations among others.
Immunotherapy
A new approach to treating cancer, immunotherapy is an exciting and effective treatment that has boosted immune systems enough for patients with NSCLC so they can fight the disease.
The CC Formula can help the immune system recognize cancer cells and strengthen its response so that it will then destroy the cancer cells. For more information on the CC Formula and the immune system click here.
Clinical Trials
Lung cancer is a deadly disease that takes the lives of many people every day. However, participating in clinical trials can mean getting life-extending treatments not otherwise available to lung cancer patients who do not participate and often help advance research for this terrible disease.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) recommends that people with lung cancer consider participating in clinical trials as these offer treatment options which are at times very effective against the devastating effects of this form of tumor - extending their lifespan or even curing them altogether. The doctors conducting these tests also hope they will be able to discover new methods for diagnosing and treating other types of cancers too!
Prognosis
While the survival rate for lung cancer in women is higher than that of men at all stages, this overall five-year survival rate still only reaches 23% among females (compared to 16% for men). The good news is that these rates are increasing and have been expected to keep improving as treatment improves.
Last thoughts
Lung Cancer in Women is a real concern. If you are living with lung cancer, the first and most important step to take is getting an accurate diagnosis of your specific type of lung cancer. This will help you get the best treatment plan for yourself that can be customized based on what stage your disease has progressed to as well as any other health conditions you may have. It's vital that patients understand all their options so they can make informed decisions about their care going forward.
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