How do the lungs work and how are they damaged by cancer?
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The lungs are vital organs responsible for one of the most fundamental processes in our bodies: respiration, or breathing. They facilitate the critical exchange of gases that keeps us alive. How the Lungs Work * Inhalation: When you breathe in, your diaphragm (a dome-shaped muscle below your lungs)Read more
The lungs are vital organs responsible for one of the most fundamental processes in our bodies: respiration, or breathing. They facilitate the critical exchange of gases that keeps us alive.
See lessHow the Lungs Work
* Inhalation: When you breathe in, your diaphragm (a dome-shaped muscle below your lungs) contracts and flattens, and the muscles between your ribs pull your rib cage up and out. This creates more space in your chest cavity, causing air pressure in your lungs to drop below the outside air pressure. As a result, air is drawn into your body through your nose or mouth.
* Air Pathway: The inhaled air travels down your windpipe (trachea), which then branches into two main airways called bronchi, one for each lung. These bronchi continue to divide into smaller and smaller tubes called bronchioles, much like the branches of a tree.
* Gas Exchange (Alveoli): At the end of the smallest bronchioles are tiny air sacs called alveoli. There are hundreds of millions of these in your lungs, and they are surrounded by a network of tiny blood vessels called capillaries. This is where the magic happens:
* Oxygen into Blood: Oxygen from the inhaled air in the alveoli passes across their very thin walls and into the capillaries, where it binds to a protein called hemoglobin in red blood cells.
* Carbon Dioxide out of Blood: At the same time, carbon dioxide, a waste product from your body’s cells, moves from the capillaries into the alveoli.
* Exhalation: Once the gas exchange is complete, your diaphragm and rib muscles relax. This reduces the space in your chest, increasing the pressure in your lungs and pushing the carbon dioxide-rich air out of your body. This entire process occurs continuously, often without conscious thought, ensuring a constant supply of oxygen to your body and removal of waste carbon dioxide.
How Lungs are Damaged by Cancer
Lung cancer develops when cells in the lungs undergo genetic changes (mutations) that cause them to grow and multiply uncontrollably, forming a mass called a tumor. This unchecked growth can severely damage the lungs and impair their function in several ways:
* Airway Obstruction: Tumors can grow within or around the airways (bronchi and bronchioles), narrowing or blocking them. This makes it difficult for air to reach or leave the alveoli, leading to shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing.
* Tissue Destruction: As the tumor grows, it invades and destroys healthy lung tissue, reducing the amount of functional lung available for gas exchange. This directly impacts the lung’s ability to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide.
* Fluid Accumulation: Lung cancer can cause fluid to build up in the pleural space (the area between the lungs and the chest wall), a condition known as pleural effusion. This fluid compresses the lungs, preventing them from fully expanding during inhalation and making breathing very difficult.
* Bleeding: Tumors can grow into blood vessels in the airways, leading to bleeding. This can manifest as coughing up blood (hemoptysis) and, in severe cases, can further compromise breathing.
* Inflammation and Infection: Cancerous growths can cause inflammation in the lungs, and obstructed airways can make a person more susceptible to infections like pneumonia or bronchitis.
* Spread (Metastasis): Lung cancer cells can break away from the primary tumor and spread through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to other parts of the body, including the other lung, lymph nodes, or distant organs. This further compromises overall health and body function.
* Pressure on Nearby Structures: Depending on its location, a lung tumor can press on nerves, blood vessels, or even the heart, leading to pain, swelling, or other complications. For instance, a tumor pressing on the superior vena cava (a large vein carrying blood to the heart) can cause swelling in the face, neck, and upper body (superior vena cava syndrome).
In essence, lung cancer disrupts the delicate and efficient mechanism of gas exchange by physically obstructing airways, destroying functional tissue, causing fluid buildup, and potentially spreading to other areas, all of which progressively impair a person’s ability to breathe and maintain oxygen levels.