In the January issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a study conducted by researchers from the Seoul National University announced that a diet full of inorganic phosphates, often found in food additives, is likely to increase the potential risk of developing lung cancer as well as speed up the spread of the condition.

The study used a mouse model and found, according to a Science Daily article that "increased intake of inorganic phosphates stimulates lung cancer development in mice, and suggests that dietary regulation of inorganic phosphates may be critical for lung cancer treatment as well as prevention."

A medical dictionary describes inorganic phosphates as any variety of salt or ester of phosphoric acid. Inorganic phosphates can be found in a number of processed foods including the following:

• cheeses
• meats
• beverages
• bakery products

Causes of Lung Cancer

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) lung cancer "forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages" and there are two main types of lung cancer known as "small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, which are diagnosed based on how the cells look under a microscope."

Approximately 215,020 new cases of both types of lung cancer were reported in 2008. During this same year, more than 161,000 individuals perished because of lung cancer, according to the NCI.

There are several known risk factors associated with the development of several different variations of lung cancer including the following as reported by the Mayo Clinic:

• smoking
• the sex of an individual
• exposure to secondhand smoke
• inhalation of radon gas and other chemicals
• family history of the condition
• alcohol consumption/abuse

Additionally, the Mayo Clinic reports several lung cancer symptoms that a potential victim of the condition may need to watch for in order to properly diagnose their disease. Signs and symptoms include:

• hoarseness
• wheezing
• chest pain
• coughing up blood
• development of a cough that does not fade
• development of a chronic cough, change in cough

Rare Lung Cancer Development: Mesothelioma

A condition known as mesothelioma cancer is a rare and extremely debilitating form of lung cancer. The cancer is considered rare, although more individuals are being diagnosed with the condition, which is considered fatal among victims. Mesothelioma is caused by the inhalation of asbestos dust and fibers, which often derived from working in mines, shipyards and construction fields.

Asbestos is a mineral derived from vermiculite, which was heavily mined during the late 19th and early 20th centuries until regulatory bodies deemed extensive exposure to the mineral unsafe. Unfortunately, the damage had already occurred among thousands of Americans as well as those around the world.

The disease begins to form upon initial exposure to even the slightest inhalation of the mineral at which point cancerous cells begin to develop on the lining of the lungs, the mesothelium, and/or the lining of the internal organs, peritoneum. Unfortunately, signs and symptoms of the condition remain dormant for several years and up to four decades. Once symptoms begin to be revealed, physicians often misdiagnose their patients because of the similarity of mesothelioma symptoms to other conditions. Individuals who have suffered from a mesothelioma diagnosis are encouraged to locate an environmental toxin attorney in order to develop a potential mesothelioma lawsuit.