Medicina / Ciências Médicas e da Saúde

Dissertações de Mestrado

Resumo

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, being responsible for more than a million deaths each year. Its peak incidence occurs between 55 and 65 years and about 85% of all patients will die within 5 years after diagnosis. With such a mortality and a number of new cases exceeding 1.5 millions every year (1, 2), new treatment strategies beyond conventional therapy are urgently needed to overcome such a poor prognosis. Lung cancer has been associated to cigarette smoking several decades ago, although, like in other cancers, the accumulation of genetic abnormalities in a stepwise process is part of the malignant transformation mechanism. As smoking habits progressively decreased in men, lung cancer incidence was also reduced in the male sex. By contrast, given the increasing smoking habits in women, incidence and mortality are increasing in this group. Despite this marked causal effect, only 25% of all lung cancers develop in non-smokers, more commonly in women. Most of these are adenocarcinomas. On the other hand, cigarette smoke is more often associated with small cell and squamous cell carcinomas. Other risk factors for developing lung cancer include industrial exposures (uranium, radiation, asbestos) and air pollution, not only by atmospheric pollutants but also by indoor agents like radon.
 

 

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