LungPATH microphotographs-38 year old female,
suspicious for adenocarcinoma
Cytogram Description
Long before lung cancer appears on a X-ray, subtle changes
occur to the cells in the lungs of smokers and others exposed to harmful
chemicals. Some lung cells (called goblet cells) secrete sticky mucus,
which coats the respiratory tract as a protective barrier. The job of this
mucus is to trap a variety of particles you inhale. Other lung cells
(called columnar epithelial cells) grow microscopic hair-like sweepers
called cilia to sweep trapped particles up to the throat , where you cough
it out.
As soon as you start to smoke, this cleaning and repair
process starts to break down. Poisons in cigarette smoke paralyze the cilia
and lung cell damage begins. In response to the irritation caused by
the 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, your lungs produce more mucus and
white blood cells in an unsuccessful attempt to protect itself this damage.
As the irritation from smoking progresses, patches of columnar cells begin
to change their shape. The cilia disappear which inhibits the ability
to cough, and the columnar cells transform themselves into flat, scale like
cells called metaplasia. As the damage from smoking continues these
metaplastic cells become increasingly abnormal until they reach a
precancerous stage called dysplasia.
It's never too late to stop smoking if you stop smoking
now! Even now, if you stop smoking, your lungs have a good chance to
recover and heal themselves. Lung cancer develops after your lungs
suffer many years of irritation from cigarette smoke and/ or other
chemicals. No one can predict how long this process will take in any
individual, but if you continue to smoke you are at considerable risk for
lung cancer, other lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema,
and many other serious diseases as well.
One reason smokers may find it
hard to quit is that you can't see the damage cigarette smoke does to the
human body. By the time, you begin to feel the effects of your
smoking, you may already have a serious disease. Our new test called
LungPATH gives you a window to look at the hidden lung irritation caused by
cigarette smoking. LungPATH can significantly increase your ability to
stop smoking. It can reveal changes in the cells that line your
respiratory tract many years before you develop a serious disease or before
your doctor can see damage on a chest X-ray. When you quit smoking, LungPATH
can show you that your lungs are returning to a healthier state.
The LungPATH test is safe, painless, and noninvasive. Using our
specially designed collection device mailed to your home, lung mucus is
collected by a simple cough. Contained in this mucus are cells and
other lung components. Our internationally renowned director of cytopathology, G. Berry Schumann,
MD and his staff, use state of the art laboratory procedures and
produce a report called the
LungPATH Trend Cytogram, detailing lung health and the risk of lung
disease. To learn more about advanced sputum cytology and other early
lung cancer detection techniques, please visit
Lung Cancer Frontiers.
Now, for the first time, LungPATH, the state of the art test of
cellular lung health will be available on-line for testing in the privacy
and comfort of your own home. To receive more information on ordering
a LungPATH test, please complete the form below. After checking
for accuracy click the
button below.
While only the
information requested in
green is required, the more we know about your lung health, the
more we can help you.
Please be advised and assured, your
personal information will be held in the strictest confidence...