7 Most Common Respiratory Diseases – Symptoms and Treatment
Lung Cancer
Just hearing the word cancer is enough to make you cringe. This type of cancer can start in any part of your lungs, most often in or near the air sacs, and may take years before it is discovered.
Symptoms: coughing, wheezing, changes in voice, shortness of breath, and bloody mucus.
In most cases, smoking and lung cancer go hand in hand, according to Dr. Meyer. “Other risk factors include radon exposure, workplace exposure, including asbestos and diesel fumes, secondhand smoke, air pollution and radiation exposure from frequent CT scans of the chest.” Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and the second most common cancer among both men and women in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.
Treatment: Depending on the type and stage, the most common treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy.