Dr Arvind Kumar, Chairman, Lung Transplant&Chest Surgery, Medanta – The Medicity
The use of tobacco is one of the most severe public health challenges we face today, and its use is linked to more than 7 million deaths globally, making it a leading cause of preventable mortality. Millions more suffer from chronic illnesses and long-term health complications linked to tobacco use, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory disorders.
Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of death in India — the second largest consumer and producer of tobacco. Lung cancer is fast becoming one of the most common cancers among Indian males, accounting for 8% of cancer-related mortalities. Even among women, incidence of lung cancer is rapidly increasing, data from cancer registries across India shows.
The use of tobacco is among the most widespread in the North East states, highlighting the need for awareness and control programmes in the region.One of the most common ways that Indians consume tobacco is through smoking — cigarettes, beedi or hookah — which puts the user at risk for a variety of non-communicable diseases, ranging from cancer, stroke, heart attack, and lung disease.
Quitting smoking does not mean you cannot get lung cancer
The younger a person is when they start smoking, and the heavier and longer they smoke, the greater is their risk of getting lung cancer. Quitting smoking lowers the risk for a user to develop lung cancer. However, the risk for a former smoker to develop lung cancer will never drop to the level of someone who has never smoked.
Having said that, quitting smoking improves your health almost immediately, with the body ridding itself of toxins the very same day, and reducing your risk of cancer, lung disease, heart disease, and other illnesses.
Lung cancer is not a “smoker’s only disease”
People have many misconceptions or mistaken beliefs with regards to lung cancer. One of the biggest myths that people have is that lung cancer is a smoker’s disease. Nothing could be farther from the truth: many lung cancer patients are not only themselves non-smokers, but also hail from non-smoking families. Another misconception that people have is that lung cancer is a disease of men: the data shows that 40-45% of lung cancer patients are women, many of whom are non-smokers.
Some people also mistakenly believe that lung cancer is a disease that only affects the elderly. Again, this is not true: the data shows that up to 10% of those afflicted by lung cancer are under the age of 40 years. Over the last two decades, the average age of patients diagnosed with lung cancer has decreased by 10-15 years. Hence, anyone over the age of 30 who displays symptoms for lung cancer should immediately get tested.
Why screening is important
Regular screening for cancer is very important. The earlier that the cancer is caught, the more treatable it is. If lung cancer is diagnosed in stage 1 or 2, it is possible to treat it by surgery.
In order for the diagnosis of lung cancer to be confirmed, a biopsy is essential, whether done endoscopically or through CT-guided needle biopsy.
Most cases of early-stage lung cancer diagnosed these days are treated using less invasive techniques such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or robotic-assisted surgery. These methods are as effective as open surgery, and have faster recovery, less pain, fewer complications, and the patient can return to their normal life sooner.
Many patients diagnosed with lung cancer live on for decades, provided they come in for regular follow-ups.
When should you get checked?
It is vitally important for a person — especially a current or former smoker — to get themselves screened for lung cancer if they experience:
- A persistent cough
- Blood while coughing
- Chest pain or shortness of breath
- Unexplained weight loss
Testing for the disease becomes even more vitally important if one:
- Is 50-80 years old
- Has smoked for a period greater than 10 years
- Has smoked within the last 15 years
In today’s day and age, with the advances in medicine and medical technology, a diagnosis of lung cancer is not the end of life, provided it is diagnosed early and treated correctly.