When you hear the word tumor, what comes to your mind is a serious health problem. A tumor is an abnormal buildup of tissue that occurs when cells divide too quickly or don’t die as they should. Lung tumors are tumors that occur in the lung tissue or in the respiratory tract leading to the lungs. Lung tumors can be either malignant or benign.
Do we need to worry when we have a lung tumor? Compared to malignant tumors, lung tumors are more benign because they are not cancerous, so they will not spread to other parts of the body. Lung tumors grow slowly, or may even stop growing and shrink.
This condition is usually not life threatening. Although they can grow and push against nearby tissue, lung tumors will not invade, destroy, or replace other tissue.
Quoted from the Cleveland Clinic, Tuesday (26/4/2022), the following are the causes, symptoms, and types of lung tumors.
Causes of Lung Tumors
The lungs are organs of the body that have a lot of tissue, so they are at risk of becoming a place for the development of abnormal cells. So, there are many possible causes of lung tumors, including:
- Pulmonary granulomas, which are clumps of inflamed cells. These cells are formed as a result of bacterial infection with tuberculosis, fungal infection histoplasmosis, or fungus coccidiomycosis.
- Lung abscess, which is a pus-filled infection usually caused by bacteria.
- Inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, or Wegener’s granulomatosis.
- Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).
- Birth defects such as scars or other abnormalities in the lungs.
Gejala Tumor Paru
Symptoms of lung tumors tend to be non-specific and similar to other respiratory diseases. Because the tumor is benign, people who are infected often do not experience health problems. In fact, this condition was only discovered accidentally through a medical examination.
Symptoms of lung tumors that are often experienced are as follows:
- Cough that doesn’t go away
- Hard to breathe
- Difficulty breathing
- Coughing blood
- Wheezing sound from the lungs
- Chest pain
Types of Lung Tumors
There are several types of lung tumors. Tumors larger than thirty centimeters (cm) are called masses. Meanwhile, tumors that are smaller in size are called nodules. Benign tumors are usually small in the form of nodules.
The following are the types of nodules which are benign tumors, including:
1. Hamartoma
Hamartomas are the most common type of benign lung tumor. Approximately 55 percent of hamartoma nodule cases are benign. Most of these nodules are found in the bronchial tubes or tubes leading to the lungs.
The hamartoma is usually less than four centimeters in diameter and looks round like a coin. These nodules are more common in men than women, with an age range of 50 to 70 years.
2. Bronchial Adenoma
Bronchial adenoma is another type of benign lung nodule. These nodules grow in the bronchial tubes, mucous glands, or windpipe.
3. Papilloma
Papillomas are a less common type of benign pulmonary nodule. These nodules grow in the bronchial tubes, sticking out from the surface area to which they are attached. Papillomas are divided into three types.
- Squamous: Squamous papilloma can occur in children and adults. This condition can occur as a result of infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).
- Glandular: These papillomas are less common and usually develop in the larger airways than squamous papillomas. This condition can occur at any age, but mostly affects adults.
- Combination of both: These papillomas contain a mixture of squamous and glandular papilloma tissue. However, only a small number of cases have been reported. These papillomas have the potential to become cancerous because squamous cells can change over time.
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