WHAT IS THIS WEBSITE ABOUT?
This website was designed to inform the general public about both lung cancer as a disease, as well as, different ways to view, understand, and treat lung cancer. More importantly, this website should stand to inform the general public about a medical anthropological view of lung cancer, and how, through the example of lung cancer, medical anthropology can serve in the modern day healthcare system.
This website was designed to inform the general public about both lung cancer as a disease, as well as, different ways to view, understand, and treat lung cancer. More importantly, this website should stand to inform the general public about a medical anthropological view of lung cancer, and how, through the example of lung cancer, medical anthropology can serve in the modern day healthcare system.
WHAT IS LUNG CANCER?
Lung cancer is clinically defined as a disease that starts when cancerous cells invade the lung tissue, usually found in the bronchi of the lungs, the tubes that transport air throughout both lungs (PubMed Health). Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer among men and women over the age of 45, and because of its striking prevalence in American society I have chosen to study the disease intensely. More people die of lung cancer than prostate, colon, and breast cancer combined annually. There are two different types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer, and small cell lung cancer, which affects about 20% of lung cancer cases annually (PubMed Health). The main reason for lung cancer is tobacco smoking, however, other reasons such as exposure to asbestos, high air pollution, and genetics also can increase a person's risk of getting lung cancer. Lung cancer usually presents as a long lasting cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath (PubMed Health). Lung cancer is officially diagnosed after a biopsy of the lung, in which a piece of tissue is removed from the lung to be examined for cancerous cells underneath a microscope. Treatments for lung cancer depends on how extensive the cancer is in the lungs. Usual treatments include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery to remove the tumor in the lungs and surrounding affected lymph nodes. Prognosis and effectiveness of treatment depends on the stage of lung cancer seen after biopsy, with the median life expectation of 8 months after diagnosis for someone with stage four, most progressed and aggressive, lung cancer.
WHY ANTHROPOLOGY?
Medical anthropology is the application of anthropological methods to cultural questions of health, healing, illness, and disease. Medical anthropologists look past what normal medical doctors may consider when diagnosing and treating an illness or disease; they dig deeper into the cultural traditions and rituals that may play into the prevalence of a disease in a population. When studying a disease such as lung cancer, it is important to consider non-medical reasons for the disease as well. There is actually six different approaches that anthropologists may use to define, understand, and treat diseases. These six approaches are: biologically, ecologically, entho-medically, experimentally critically, and applied. Instead of focusing on just the methodological and biochemical reasons for disease, these six different approaches allow anthropologists to evaluate what may contribute to the disease in the affected person's environment, genetics, soc-cultural standing (such as interpersonal relationships), and ideologies/ religious views. Overall, this deeper understanding of disease allows an anthropologist to have a rounded holistic view of disease, its treatments, and its causes, as related to a person's livelihood.
Bibliography:
PubMed Health. "Lung Cancer." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004529/.
Lung cancer is clinically defined as a disease that starts when cancerous cells invade the lung tissue, usually found in the bronchi of the lungs, the tubes that transport air throughout both lungs (PubMed Health). Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer among men and women over the age of 45, and because of its striking prevalence in American society I have chosen to study the disease intensely. More people die of lung cancer than prostate, colon, and breast cancer combined annually. There are two different types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer, and small cell lung cancer, which affects about 20% of lung cancer cases annually (PubMed Health). The main reason for lung cancer is tobacco smoking, however, other reasons such as exposure to asbestos, high air pollution, and genetics also can increase a person's risk of getting lung cancer. Lung cancer usually presents as a long lasting cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath (PubMed Health). Lung cancer is officially diagnosed after a biopsy of the lung, in which a piece of tissue is removed from the lung to be examined for cancerous cells underneath a microscope. Treatments for lung cancer depends on how extensive the cancer is in the lungs. Usual treatments include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery to remove the tumor in the lungs and surrounding affected lymph nodes. Prognosis and effectiveness of treatment depends on the stage of lung cancer seen after biopsy, with the median life expectation of 8 months after diagnosis for someone with stage four, most progressed and aggressive, lung cancer.
WHY ANTHROPOLOGY?
Medical anthropology is the application of anthropological methods to cultural questions of health, healing, illness, and disease. Medical anthropologists look past what normal medical doctors may consider when diagnosing and treating an illness or disease; they dig deeper into the cultural traditions and rituals that may play into the prevalence of a disease in a population. When studying a disease such as lung cancer, it is important to consider non-medical reasons for the disease as well. There is actually six different approaches that anthropologists may use to define, understand, and treat diseases. These six approaches are: biologically, ecologically, entho-medically, experimentally critically, and applied. Instead of focusing on just the methodological and biochemical reasons for disease, these six different approaches allow anthropologists to evaluate what may contribute to the disease in the affected person's environment, genetics, soc-cultural standing (such as interpersonal relationships), and ideologies/ religious views. Overall, this deeper understanding of disease allows an anthropologist to have a rounded holistic view of disease, its treatments, and its causes, as related to a person's livelihood.
Bibliography:
PubMed Health. "Lung Cancer." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004529/.