Lung cancer affects men and women all over the world. There are many types of lung cancer and one of them is the squamous cell lung cancer. Research proves that approximately 30% of lung cancer cases fall under this type. However, the introduction of filtered cigarettes in the market made it a rare case nowadays.
Squamous cells are very thin cells similar to scales of fishes when seen under the microscope. Most cases of squamous cell lung cancer occur in the middle area of the lungs, thus will cause the person to cough up blood at an early stage compared to those where the lung cancer has started on the edge of the lungs.
Although cancer have no initial symptoms, if you are experiencing most of the following indications of squamous cell lung cancer then it is advised to consult a specialized doctor to give you the appropriate treatment as early as possible.
Symptoms of squamous cell lung cancer
- Weight loss
- Hemoptysis
- Wheezing
- Easily tired
- A persistent cough
- Having difficulties in swallowing
- Experiencing chest, arms and shoulder pains
- Hoarseness
- Headaches and seizures
- Swelling of the face and the upper extremities
- Enlarging of the ends of toes and fingers
A faster way to determine if the person has squamous cell lung cancer is by undergoing a chest x-ray. This test will not only determine the existence of cancer cells but also the tumor’s size, shape and its exact location.
When the patient has already been diagnosed with squamous cell lung cancer, PET scanning is used to further determine to what extent the cancer has spread. The information gathered from these tests will help develop the right treatment plan for the patient.
If a person diagnosed with squamous cell lung cancer does not have himself treated immediately, the cancerous cells may further infect the other parts of the body and endanger more his health conditions and lessen his chances of survival. It is necessary to consult a doctor at once.
If the cancer is still at its early age then it would be easier to treat the disease. But if the squamous cell lung cancer has reached the critical stage, several complex procedures are done to kill the cancer cells that caused it but gives no guarantee that it can permanently remove the tumor from the body.
These treatments would mainly depend on the stage, size and the exact location of the tumor in the lungs. A surgical operation can be performed if the location of the tumor is not in a critical area. Most lung cancer patients undergo chemotherapy that many has testified to work but we all know that chemotherapy has a very unpleasant side effects.
Regretfully, not all lung cancers get treated completely just like squamous cell lung cancer because it either has already spread in the body or the cancer cells has recurred. To those who are frequent smokers, it would be best to quit smoking now to lessen the chances of having this ailment.
