November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, lung cancer is a disease that remains one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide. There should be a stronger focus on early detection, better understanding of risk factors, and breaking down the stigma associated with lung cancer.
Lung cancer affects both men and women across all demographics, with more than 2 million new cases diagnosed worldwide every year. The disease remains the deadliest form of cancer, accounting for approximately 1.8 million deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization. This high mortality rate is largely due to late diagnosis, as symptoms often do not appear until the cancer has advanced.
Most common symptoms that people ignore are cough for more than 21 days, generalised weakness, small streaks of blood in sputum, chest pain.
People who are smokers and who have family history of lung cancer are at high risk and should consult a doctor for screening options which is mostly a low dose CT scan.
Lung cancer is treatable, especially if caught early. However, there is still a lack of awareness around the importance of screening, which leads to delayed diagnoses. Awareness campaigns can play a key role in changing this.
Studies have shown that early detection significantly increases the chances of survival. Low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans can detect lung cancer early, when treatments are more likely to be effective .One of the best example is increase in number of incidentally diagnosed early stage lung cancers in COVID era due more number of chest CT scans .People with a history of smoking, as well as those with other risk factors such as exposure to radon gas, air pollution, or genetic predisposition, should discuss screening options with their healthcare providers.
Screening has been shown to reduce lung cancer mortality by 20% for high-risk individuals. “That’s a substantial difference, but there’s a need for more people to be aware that these screening options exist.
Unfortunately, stigma still surrounds lung cancer, often due to its association with smoking. Although smoking is a major risk factor, around 10-20% of those diagnosed have never smoked. Other factors, like secondhand smoke, environmental toxins, and genetics, also contribute to the disease, making it clear that anyone can develop lung cancer.
Advancements in treatment, including organ preservation and minimally invasive surgeries,targeted therapies and immunotherapies, offer hope for patients even with advanced-stage lung cancer. Ongoing research is leading to more personalized approaches, and recent clinical trials have shown promising results in slowing disease progression.
We are making progress. New treatments are helping patients live longer, higher-quality lives.
How You Can Support Lung Cancer ?
There are several ways to fight against this disease.
By getting Screened If you are at high risk, talk to your doctor about screening options.Educating Yourself and Others: Spread awareness about lung cancer’s risk factors, symptoms, and screening benefits
By Dr Sagar Bhalerao (Consultant – Surgical Oncologist ) Wockhardt Hospitals Nagpur