Cancer is still a taboo topic in Anguilla. Increasing numbers of individuals in Anguilla are being diagnosed with cancer and among the more common ones is cancer of the lungs. Lung cancer is a common cancer that although considered deadly can be prevented in some cases. DO NOT SMOKE! This one measure can vastly reduce your chances of getting lung cancer. Early signs and symptoms are few in this cancer, and most cases of lung cancer are detected in their late stages resulting in dismal survival rates.
What causes lung cancer?
Smoking causes nearly 9 out of 10 lung cancer deaths, while radon gas, pollution and other chemicals play a smaller role. Cigarettes contain many cancer-causing chemicals. Smoking also destroys the lungs’ natural defense system. The cilia in the lungs are destroyed by tobacco allowing cancer-causing chemical to collect in the lungs thereby contributing to lung cancer among other lung disorders.
Breathing in secondhand smoke at home, or at work, also appears to raise your risk of getting lung cancer.
Some jobs can raise the risk of lung cancer in both smokers and nonsmokers. People who work with uranium, arsenic, and other chemicals, should try to limit their exposure. Asbestos, which was once widely used in insulation in many buildings in Anguilla, is a notorious cause of lung cancer.
Lung cancer can affect people with no well-known risk factors — including those who have never smoked. Researchers do not know the cause yet, but lung cancer in nonsmokers appears to affect more women than men.
How do you know if you have lung cancer?
In the vast majority of patients who have lung cancer, there are few symptoms in the early stages, as the cancer usually begins quietly. As the lung cancer develops you might have one or more of the following:
• A persistent cough that refuses to go away
• Chest pain, especially when taking deep breaths
• Wheezing or shortness of breath
• Coughing up bloody phlegm (sputum)
• Feeling very tired most of the time
If you have any of these symptoms you should consult your physician.
Diagnosis
Following a detailed history and physical examination, your doctor will arrange for you to have a number of tests and investigations. A biopsy is usually required to confirm the diagnosis of lung cancer.
Types of lung cancer
There are two main types of lung cancer. Small-cell lung cancer is more aggressive. This type of lung cancer is strongly tied to cigarette use and rarely seen in nonsmokers. Non-small-cell lung cancer grows more slowly and is more common. It is responsible for almost 85% of all lung cancers.
Treatment
Treatment will depend on the type of cancer – whether it has spread to distant parts of the body and a number of other factors. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and, more recently, targeted therapies can be used together with chemotherapy or when other therapies do not work.
Lung cancer and air pollution
While it causes far fewer cases than smoking, air pollution may raise the risk of lung cancer. Experts think that pollution from cars, factories, and power plants may affect the lungs like secondhand smoke does. Worldwide, air pollution may have caused about 223,000 lung cancer deaths.
Lung cancer prevention
Lung cancer can be prevented in some individuals. The one thing you can do to prevent lung cancer is to not smoke. We must continue to encourage our young people not to adopt this deadly habit, and they should resist the temptation to experiment with cigarette smoking. For those individuals who are smokers, I encourage you to get help to help you quit. Within 10 years of quitting, the risk of lung cancer will drop 30% to 50%.
Conclusion
Lung cancer affects individuals in Anguilla, and is considered one of the most deadly cancers around. Lung cancer is also one of the most preventable: DO NOT SMOKE. If you are a smoker, get the help you need to quit. As the cancer usually presents in its late stages, survival rates following treatment are disappointingly low. In recent years more people are living longer lives following diagnosis. If you have signs and symptoms suggestive of lung cancer, see you doctor as soon as possible.
Ask Your Doctor is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. The reader should consult his or her physician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field are ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.
Dr Brett Hodge MB BS DGO MRCOG, is an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Family Doctor who has over thirty two years in clinical practice. Dr Hodge has a medical practice in The Johnson Building in The Valley (Tel: 264 4975828).
