Stage IV Lung Cancer With Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) Rearrangement
Stage IV Lung Cancer With Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) Rearrangement
This type of lung cancer is rare, and people who get it are usually not smokers. Although there isn't a cure, there are treatments for it that can slow down your cancer and help you feel better.
"Stage IV" means that the cancer has spread beyond the lung where it started. It may be in your other lung, too, or in the fluid around your lungs, or somewhere else in your body.
Understanding Lung Cancer -- the Basics
Although lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. in both men and women, it is also one of the most preventable kinds of cancer. At least four out of five cases are associated with cigarette smoking, and the cause-and-effect relationship has been extensively documented. During the 1920s, large numbers of men began to smoke cigarettes, presumably in response to increased advertising. Twenty years later, the frequency of lung cancer in men climbed sharply. In the 1940s, significantly...
Read the Understanding Lung Cancer -- the Basics article > >
"ALK rearrangement" refers to a gene called ALK. If you have this type of lung cancer, your ALK gene got rearranged and joined with another gene. This causes cancer cells to grow and spread.
Doctors aren't sure what causes this disease. But people who get it tend to be younger than most lung cancer patients. Many people who get it don't smoke and never have.
Like other types of lung cancer, the symptoms can include:
If the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, your symptoms may include:
First, your doctor will talk with you so that he understands what's been going on. He'll ask questions like these:
To learn more, your doctor may give you tests, including:
What Is Stage IV Lung Cancer With ALK Rearrangement?
This type of lung cancer is rare, and people who get it are usually not smokers. Although there isn't a cure, there are treatments for it that can slow down your cancer and help you feel better.
"Stage IV" means that the cancer has spread beyond the lung where it started. It may be in your other lung, too, or in the fluid around your lungs, or somewhere else in your body.
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Understanding Lung Cancer -- the Basics
Although lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. in both men and women, it is also one of the most preventable kinds of cancer. At least four out of five cases are associated with cigarette smoking, and the cause-and-effect relationship has been extensively documented. During the 1920s, large numbers of men began to smoke cigarettes, presumably in response to increased advertising. Twenty years later, the frequency of lung cancer in men climbed sharply. In the 1940s, significantly...
Read the Understanding Lung Cancer -- the Basics article > >
"ALK rearrangement" refers to a gene called ALK. If you have this type of lung cancer, your ALK gene got rearranged and joined with another gene. This causes cancer cells to grow and spread.
Causes
Doctors aren't sure what causes this disease. But people who get it tend to be younger than most lung cancer patients. Many people who get it don't smoke and never have.
Symptoms
Like other types of lung cancer, the symptoms can include:
- A cough that lasts or gets worse
- Chest pain that often hurts more when you cough, laugh, or take deep breaths
- Hoarseness or voice changes
- Harsh, raspy sounds when you breathe
- Wheezing
- Weight loss, little appetite
- Coughing up blood or mucus
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling weak or tired
- Lasting lung problems, like bronchitis or pneumonia
If the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, your symptoms may include:
- Bone pain
- Headache
- Dizziness or balance issues
- Numbness or weakness in an arm or leg
- Jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes)
Getting a Diagnosis
First, your doctor will talk with you so that he understands what's been going on. He'll ask questions like these:
- When did you first notice problems?
- How have you been feeling?
- Are you coughing or wheezing?
- Does anything make your symptoms better or worse?
- Do you, or did you, smoke?
- Has anyone in your family had lung cancer?
To learn more, your doctor may give you tests, including:
- Blood tests
- X-rays
- CT scan: This can show lung problems and swollen arteries.
- MRI: This scan shows blood flow and can locate cancer growths.
- PET scan: This imaging test uses radioactive material to look for signs of cancer.
- Sputum test: It checks for cancer cells in the mucus you cough up.
- Bronchoscopy: It looks at your airways with an instrument called a bronchoscope.
- Ultrasound: This test uses sound waves to create a picture of what’s happening inside you.
- Thoracoscopy: This scan looks at the lungs using a tiny camera.
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