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Researchers have discovered several causes of lung cancer--most are related to the use of tobacco. Cigarettes, cigars and pipes, and exposure to environmental (second-hand) tobacco smoke can increase the risk of a person developing lung cancer. Other risk factors include environmental or occupational exposure to radon, asbestos, and other pollutants.
Cancers that begin in the lungs are divided into two major types, non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer, depending on how the cells look under a microscope. Each type of lung cancer grows and spreads in different ways and is treated differently.
Common signs and symptoms of lung cancer include a cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time; constant chest pain; coughing up blood; shortness of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness; repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis; swelling of the neck and face; loss of appetite or weight loss; and fatigue.
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