Lung Cancer

• Lung cancer is the 2nd most common cancer worldwide. India is no exception to this deadly disease.

• The most common and strongest risk factor for lung cancer is tobacco smoking.

• Although non-smokers can also develop lung cancer, smokers are more than 10 times at higher risk for developing the disease.

• Tobacco smokers are also at risk for developing the more aggressive forms of lung cancers.

• Any form of smoking – filtered cigarettes, bidis, cigars, pipes, hookah/shisha etc. are not safe.

• Risk factors for non-smokers include exposure to second hand tobacco smoke, bio-mass fuel usage (firewood, cow dung, coal etc.) for cooking, exposure to radiation, and air pollution (indoor and outdoor).

• Persons working in certain occupations like asbestos industries, shipyards, coal mine workers and stone quarry workers are also at risk for developing lung cancer.

• Major symptoms of lung cancer include prolonged cough with or without phlegm production, weakness, loss of appetite, and significant weight loss.

• Other symptoms like blood on coughing, breathing difficulty, and chest pain can also point towards lung cancer.

• Persons who have been smoking more than 10 cigarettes or bidis per day from a young age need to get themselves screened regularly starting at 40 years of age, to detect early cancer.

• With advancements in diagnostic methods, lung cancers can now be detected in early stages.

• Upon suspicion, your Pulmonologist might ask for a CT scan of the chest, and a bronchoscopy or thoracoscopy for confirmation of diagnosis.

• Early detection of lung cancer can help in more efficient management of disease, and also in some cases, to a cure.