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Lung Cancer Clinic
Each year more than 200,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer. However, despite the serious nature of lung cancer, the prognosis for beating it is much better than it was even five years ago, thanks to early detection efforts and new treatment strategies.
Esophageal Cancer Clinic
Esophageal cancer accounts for more than 16,000 new cases each year. Thanks to improved treatments and early intervention, the survival rates for esophageal cancer have improved greatly since the 1960s when only a small percentage of people with the disease survived more than five years.
Mesothelioma Clinic
Most mesotheliomas begin in the chest cavity. Though fairly rare, there are still about 2,000 to 3,000 new cases each year, primarily in men over 65. Early detection and intervention by doctors at the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute's thoracic program is essential in treating the disease.
Lung Nodule Clinic
The presence of lung nodules does not automatically signal that you have cancer. Benign nodules can actually be quite common. To ensure that the nodules aren't cancerous, doctors at FHCI will monitor changes in size, shape or appearance through regular tests.
Uncommon Malignancies Clinic
Rare forms of cancer include carcinoid tumors, mediastinal tumors and thymoma. Each of these presents unique challenges that doctors at the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute address with a broad range of traditional and leading edge treatment strategies.
Who We Are
Sigfredo Aldarondo, MD
Learn more about the role of the pulmonologist in the treatment of thoracic cancer.
Joseph Boyer, MD
Learn more about the role of the thoracic surgeon in the treatment of thoracic cancer.
Symptoms of Lung Cancer
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Send to friendSymptoms of lung cancer aren't always noticeable, particularly in its early stages. In fact, one out of four people who have cancer have no outward symptoms and the lung cancer is only detected when a chest x-ray is administered for another reason.
If symptoms are present, it is usually due to the primary tumor or the presence of tumors in other parts of the body. This is what makes early intervention so important, since once the malignancy has spread beyond the lungs it becomes increasingly difficult to contain and treat successfully.
As such, it's very important to understand possible symptoms of lung cancer. As always, if you are concerned you should see your doctor immediately to rule out other causes or begin treatment as early as possible.
- Swelling in the regions of the face and neck
- A cough that is persistent and does not respond to ordinarily effective treatments
- Presence of blood in the sputum or spit that has a brownish tinge to it
- Pain in the chest area
- A sudden loss of weight that isn't related to dieting or exercise
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Recurrences of pneumonia, bronchitis or other similar infections
- Change in the quality of your voice or a hoarseness
- Fever with no apparent cause
- A loss of appetite, either suddenly or gradually
If the lung cancer has spread, other symptoms may arise such as bone fractures, recurrent headaches, blood clots, bleeding or pain in other areas of the body. Often, these signs aren't present until the more advanced stages of lung cancer.
What Causes Lung Cancer
As you probably know, the leading cause of lung cancer is smoking cigarettes. The more you smoke, the greater the risk of lung cancer. If you do stop smoking and don't have lung cancer yet, in 20 years your body will repair itself to the point where your chances of getting the disease are about the same as someone who has never smoked.
If you do smoke, know that there are more than 4,000 chemical compounds in each cigarette, many known to cause lung cancer. If you smoke two or more packs a day, you have a one in seven chance of dying of lung cancer. Pipe and cigar smoking are also risky lifestyle choices, making it five times as likely you'll get lung cancer than a nonsmoker.
Even if you don't smoke, you can still increase your risk of cancer through indirect contact. Secondhand smoke leads to the death of an estimated 3,000 non-smokers each year from lung cancer.
High levels of pollution, high levels of arsenic in drinking water and prolonged exposure to radon gas, asbestos, coal products, gasoline and diesel exhaust can also increase the chance that you will get lung cancer as you grow older.
If you would like to speak with our team of medical professionals or you would like to request an appointment, contact us today.
