6 Facts You Need to Know About Lung Cancer

Early detection of lung cancer can save lives…

Lung cancer is a leading cause of death globally. It is also a major healthcare problem in India. With lung cancer continuing to affect the lives of so many people around the world, it is very much important to understand the disease and know what we can do to improve our chances of beating the lung cancer.

Here’s a list of 6 facts that everyone should know in awareness of lung cancer.

(1) Smoking is the #1 risk factor….

Smoking is considered as #1 risk factor for lung cancer. Smoking cigars, pipes, cigarettes increases your risk highly. The risk of developing lung cancer in smoker is 25 times higher than someone who never smoked. In addition to the lungs, smoking also cause damages to nearby organs.

But the good part is that, quitting can reduce the risk even if you have smoked for years.

(2) …But, be aware, non-smokers can get lung cancer too

Around 10-15 percent of lung cancer cases occurs in non-smokers. Risk factors are:secondhand smoke, air pollution, exposure to radon gas, carcinogens like asbestos or diesel exhaust and even gene mutations.

(3) CT Scans can save lives

As with other cancers, the key to surviving lung cancer is catching it in the earliest stages, when it’s most treatable. CT scan- it’s the only proven effective way to screen for lung cancer. X-rays do not detect lung cancer at it’s earliest of stages.

Unfortunately, because symptoms (including persistent cough or coughing up blood, unexplained weight loss, persistent chest pain and shortness of breath) don’t usually appear until the later stages, lung cancer is tough to diagnose early.

(4) Identifiable warning signs that can lead to early diagnosis

Very few are diagnosed with lung cancer at the early stage, when the disease is most treatable. There are some identifiable signs and symptoms like:

• Chronic cough
• Coughing up blood
• Hoarseness
• Wheezing
• Frequent shortness of breath
• Bone pain
• Chest pain
• Unexplained weight loss

If you have any of the symptoms above or if you have a family history of lung cancer – especially a parent or sibling, you should talk to your lung cancer specialist.

(5) Targeted therapies are showing great promise in treating lung cancer

These “targeted” drug therapies, used alone or in combination with chemotherapy, are typically less toxic and have fewer side effects than chemotherapy because they target specific genes or proteins more often found in cancer cells then in healthy tissue.

Targeted therapies are used primarily for late stage or metastatic disease to help slow the cancer’s growth and prolong survival. This cancer care treatment is being widely used around the world.

(6) Some tumors can be removed minimally invasively

Tumors that are caught in the early stages can often be surgically removed, giving patients a good chance of being cancer-free. The standard procedure to remove the lobe of the lung in which the tumor is located, known as a lobectomy, typically requires a six-inch incision in the chest through which the ribsare spread apart.