Lung cancer is also known as the silent killer because most patients are diagnosed in late stages with poor outcomes despite aggressive treatment.
Most Patients Are Diagnosed Only at Advanced Stages
Most of the symptoms of lung cancer are non-specific, and they are often misdiagnosed clinically as pneumonia or tuberculosis, or COPD.
This leads to a delay in diagnosis and eventually a delay in treatment.
Symptoms That Hide in Plain Sight
The most common signs and symptoms that the patient presents are:
Persistent cough
Recorded episodes of pneumonia
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Blood in sputum or hemoptysis in advanced stages
Anorexia and unexplained weight loss
Changes in voice or Hoarseness
Air Pollution: The New Age Driver of Lung Cancer in Non-Smokers
Most lung cancer patients have a history of smoking, but of late, various patients have been diagnosed with lung cancer with no history of smoking. As our country is growing, rapid industrialization and urbanization have extensively increased air pollution in almost each and every city of the country. India, unfortunately, has 7 of the 10 most polluted cities in the world.
There is a recent study by university of Chicago by Dr Charlie, which says that a person living in Delhi loses 5.3 years of his or her life due to air pollution. The Air quality life index is extremely poor in almost all major cities of our country.
There is a rapid increase in malignancy, specifically lung cancer, in non-smokers. There are more than 70 types of procarcinogens, which are present in smoke; it doesn’t affect only the lungs. It affects every organ from head to toe.
The harmful effects of air pollution are not just limited to people who smoke, they affect everyone, from newborns to the elderly.
Causes and Diagnosis: What You Need to Know
Smoking is responsible for > 90% of all cancer cases caused by smoking tobacco in one form or another. Secondhand smoke.
Environmental air pollution has led to an increased incidence of lung cancer, specifically in non-smokers.
Occupational exposure to heavy metals and Genetic causes
Diagnosis of lung cancer is made by -Higher resolution CT scans chest, PET / CT, Bronchoscopy, and Biopsy
Modern Treatments That Are Changing Survival Outcomes
Treatment of lung cancer depends on the age of the patient, the general condition of the patient, the type of disease, and the stage at presentation.
Due to rapid improvement in surgical techniques, more and more use of Robotics and better postoperative management, Surgery has become a mainstay of treatment in early-stage lung cancer.
Other modalities like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy have led to enhanced response, leading to better survival and better quality of life, even in advanced disease
Prevention Starts with Awareness and Early Action
Stop smoking in all forms. Avoid exposure to air pollution or occupational exposure to harmful chemicals, and to improve lung capacity by doing regular exercises
Dr. Naveen Sanchety, Director and Head of the Department of Surgical Oncology, Sarvodya Hospitals, Faridabad: A Call to Act: Protecting Our Lungs in a Polluted World
When the patient is having persistent signs or symptoms of chest infection / TB, which are not responding to treatment, a complete evaluation should be done to rule out lung cancer.
It’s always better to be diagnosed in the early stage, which will result in better outcomes of treatment
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