All you need to know about lung cancer

Lungs play a significant role in the human body. The increase in air contamination and poor lifestyle choices contrarily influence the lungs' wellbeing, which can lead to deadly diseases like cancer, say doctors.

Lung cancer is now a significant health concern and accounts for about 13 percent of all new cancers in India. The misconceptions around the illness, regardless of its high occurrence, still prevails. Indian experts share their insights to raise awareness around the disease.

What are the types?

Dr. Vishwanath S, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore, explains, "The most standard types of cancers in the lung are non-small cell cancers (NSCLC) AND comprise adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, among others. Small cell carcinomas tend to be aggressive and progress rapidly, representing roughly 10-20 percent of all lung cancers. There is a possibility for cancers from other parts of the body to spread to the lungs; these are called metastases.

What are the symptoms?

It is difficult to detect the disease in its early stages since the symptoms can be close to those of a respiratory infection, or there may be no indications at all. Dr. Lancelot Pinto, Consultant Pulmonologist, P.D Hinduja Hospital & MRC, mentions the symptoms that can be related to less severe and acute illness of the disease:

Unexplained weight loss without a change in diet and exercise plan

Prolonged cough that lasts for more than two weeks

Shortness of breath should not be avoided as a symptom of aging

Chest pain while breathing, coughing, and sneezing

Swellings in the armpits, neck, or chest area

Prolonged fatigue, night sweats, and fever

When should one screen?

Dr. Sajjan Rajpurohit, Principal Consultant- Medical Oncology & Centre Head, Max multi-specialty center elaborates, "One should normally screen after the age of 50, but if you have smoked tobacco in the past, screening with a low-dose CT (LDCT) might be something you should discuss with your doctor. Detection of non-cancerous abnormalities are common and could lead to anxiety and invasive tests, so you would want to be mentally prepared and counseled before undergoing such screening".

Does air pollution cause lung cancer?

"It is difficult to prove the link between air pollution and lung cancer scientifically, but there are indicators that it may have a contributory role. Cigarette smoking is, by far, the leading cause of lung cancer. Also, environmental tobacco exposure (ETS, or secondhand smoke), work exposures to certain chemicals, air pollution, and a genetic predisposition could all contribute," adds Dr. Lancelot Pinto, Consultant Pulmonologist, P.D Hinduja Hospital & MRC.

How to prevent and cure lung cancer?

With a few useful lifestyle tips that will also help reduce the risk, lung cancer is preventable. It is safer to avoid smoking and not indulge in passive smoking as well, with smoking being the leading risk factor. And if you do not smoke, it is also unhealthy to stand around individuals who are smoking. The treatment choice depends primarily on the form and stage of lung cancer. Lung cancer individuals can opt to undergo surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, or a combination of treatments. People should consultant their oncologist, who would help more with a detailed prognosis, taking into account the general health of the person and the nature of their cancer.