- Dr Shubham Garg, Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncology, Fortis International Oncology Centre, Noida
Cancer is one of the most common causes of death in the world. It has several types; most people know about other cancers, but there is a lack of awareness about lung cancer. In view of increasing cases of lung cancer, it is necessary to make people aware of it. Here are some major facts about Lung cancer and what you should know about the severity of the disease.
Fact 1: Lung cancer is one of the commonest cancer in the world
Lung cancer has emerged as one of the most common cancers in Indians. It is the second most common among Indian men and fifth among women. According to the International Agency for research on cancer (IARC), it is the commonest cancer in the world. Union for international cancer control suggests lung cancer accounts for 12-13 per cent of all cancers globally.
Fact 2: Lung cancer is not curable
For most of the lung cancer cases, the prognosis is poor because it may not show noticeable symptoms in the early stages, 80 per cent patients aren’t diagnosed until the disease has reached 3rd and 4th stages. In the early stages when the tumour localized to the lungs and small in size it is most treatable and cure rate can be as high as 80 to 90 per cent. At stage 3 it is beyond surgery and at stage 4 it has spread to other organs and not fully curable but can be controlled with chemotherapy and targeted drugs.
Fact 3: Lung Cancer is a silent disease
Yes, it is completely true that Lung cancer is a silent disease. It could take several years for a cancerous tumour to reach a size at which it could be diagnosed on a chest X-rays. Therefore, Symptoms of lung cancer can be nonspecific. It doesn’t show symptoms in its early stages, they generally occur when the disease is advanced.
Fact 4: Now, Lung cancer is not a smoker’s disease
Yes, previously Lung cancer was known as smoker’s disease, but this situation is changing very rapidly. Many people with lung cancer are non-smokers. Air pollution, indoor air pollution and passive smoking are the major causes of lung cancer among non-smokers. This is a scary trend as it makes lung cancer non-preventable. Studies suggest that around 40-45 per cent of people who get lung cancer have never smoked.
Fact 5: People get confused, as the symptoms of lung cancer are similar to other diseases
Common symptoms of lung cancers are persistent cough, chest pain, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, feeling tired and weak, blood in cough, breathlessness and fever. These symptoms can be attributed to a lot of non-cancerous conditions like the common cold, viral fever and change in weather. This confusion hampers the early diagnosis of lung cancer.
Fact 6: Smoking is a major risk factor for lung cancer
Yes, smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer. Smoking has traditionally been associated with 85-90 per cent of lung cancer cases. Using other tobacco products such as cigars or pipes also increases the risk of lung cancer. People who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who do not smoke. Second-hand/Passive smoking (smoke from other people’s cigarettes, pipes or cigars) also causes Lung cancer. Avoiding smoking by itself can reduce the risk of lung cancer by more than half.
Fact 7: Air pollution increasing the risk of lung cancer
According to the World Health Organization, 92 per cent of the world’s population lives in areas where air pollution exceeds the safety limits set by the WHO. Polluted air increases the risk of several diseases, among them lung cancer is the most prominent. Delhi AIIMS’s data shows, in 1998, 90 per cent of the total cases of lung cancer in our country were caused by smoking and only 10 per cent were among non-smokers. But today this ratio is 50:50. The increasing cases of lung cancer due to air pollution are shocking and worrying.
Fact 8: Lung cancer can be mistaken to pulmonary tuberculosis
Lung cancer is often misdiagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. Incorrect diagnosis leading to delays in the right treatment as well as exposure to inappropriate medications. Delay in the diagnosis of lung cancer can lead to stage progression. 75-80 per cent of its cases are diagnosed in the third and fourth stages, which makes it less likely to survive even after treatment.
