Lung cancer affects both men and women. More people die from lung cancer every year than any other type of cancer, and over 200,000 patients are newly diagnosed with lung cancer each year.
Over 80% of lung cancer is caused by cigarette smoking. The longer someone has smoked and the more cigarettes smoked each day increases the risk of developing lung cancer. Other risk factors for lung cancer include asbestos exposure, radon gas, family history of lung cancer, and exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.
Surgical removal of lung cancer (lung resection) is an important part of treatment, especially when the cancer is relatively small. Typically, the operation requires removal of the section of the lung containing the cancer, known as lobectomy. Some patients may be candidates for less invasive operations using video cameras and small incisions to reduce the discomfort of surgery and speed recovery after the operation.