Persuasive Essay On Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is arguably the most devastating of all cancers, leading to more annual deaths than breast, prostate, and colon cancers combined (Crosta). 228,000 new cases are found every year (Marks) and there are approximately 1,370,000 deaths per year. Cancer in general accounts for 7.6 million deaths all around the globe. Cancer alone stands for thirteen percent of global deaths (Crosta). The percentage for the survival rate of lung cancer is a devastating sixteen percent (Marks)! More females are diagnosed with this cancer over men, but does not mean men cannot get this cancer as well. Actually, my uncle was diagnosed with lung cancer this past Summer. Shockingly, a couple of months later, my cousin, who I call my grandmother was diagnosed

Both of them still continue to have good spirits and do not let their struggle get the best of them. Role models is the best two words that I describe them as. Many people ask what to do in order to not to this cancer. While there are no guarantees, the best methods of fighting this sickening illness are to quit smoking, stay away from cigarette smoke, and get screened. Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of many cells that appears in one lung or even both. This type of cancer generally lines the air passages in the lungs. These uncontrolled cells grow, not becoming cell tissue, but into tumors (Crosta). Tumors form because the abnormal cells in the lungs are not the right lung cells. They are mutated and cannot be killed like normal. Once the known tumors become oversized, they take over and cause the lung or lungs not to do their jobs (Crosta). There is primary Lung Cancer and secondary. Primary lung cancer is treated differently than secondary because, primary starts in the lungs, while secondary starts somewhere else in the body, making its way to the lungs. Lung cancer is grouped in two categories ' which are non-small cell and small cell (Marks). There are four different types of cancer.

Cells are generally supposed to go through a cycle, where they grow, divide, then die. Lung cancer cells however grow and divide, but never die, which is called apoptosis (Crosta). Lung cancer is by far the most deadliest cancer (Marks) because sign and symptoms do not appear early enough for you to get screened (Knowing). There are signs and symptoms that may appear but it all depends on where the cancer is located in the lungs. Symptoms may include: pain in the chest, intense coughing, difficultly breathing and swallowing, raspy sounds while breathing, and or coughing up blood (Crosta). If the cancer has spread to any other places, symptoms might include: fatigue, unexplained weight loss, weakness, swelling in the neck of face, or pain in the joints (Crosta). The reason many people get diagnosed with lung cancer is because they inhale dangerous carcinogens. Those carcinogens damage many cell’s DNA that “help” out cells so that they can grow into cancer. Things like tobacco, radiation, sun and car exhaust fumes are known as carcinogens (Crosta). Smoking, of course, causes cancer too. Smoking puts smokers at a higher risk than non-smokers. The more cigarettes you smoke a day and the earlier someone started smoking, the greater risk of them being diagnosed with this cancer (Lung Cancer). Secondhand smoke can be damaging and harmful just like regular smoking. The smoke