What is it, how relevant is it, and what do you need to know?
By Dr. Manica Isiguzo – Chief Medical Officer for CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – Westover Hills
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, a time to shed light on the deadly cancer, which is the second most common cancer in women.
This year alone, nearly 120,000 women will be diagnosed with it, and nearly 60,000 will die from it, according to the American Cancer Society.
Lung cancer, also known as pulmonary cancer, is a type of cancer that develops as a growth of cells in the lungs. It may originate in the lungs’ airways or small air sacs.
Those who smoke have the most significant risk of lung cancer, and their risk increases the longer they smoke and the more cigarettes they smoke. Quitting smoking significantly lowers the risk of developing lung cancer.
Non-smokers who have been exposed to secondhand smoke for a lengthy period are also at risk of lung cancer. Up to 20% of people diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked.
Often, lung cancer is detected late because symptoms do not always present early on. By the time a patient experiences symptoms, the cancer may likely already be in the advanced stages. Lung cancer screenings increase the chance of detecting the cancer early.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much awareness surrounding lung cancer screening tests.
Currently, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual lung cancer screenings for adults ages 50 to 80 who currently smoke or have quit smoking in the last 15 years and have a 20-pack-year smoking history.
A lung cancer screening can detect potential cancerous cells before a patient exhibits symptoms, leading to a wider range of treatment options.
The screening is a low-dose CT scan. This is a non-invasive X-ray using a low dose of radiation. It takes multiple photos of the patient as they lie on a table. It allows radiologists to get a detailed image of the patient’s lungs.
If lung cancer is detected, the next steps will depend on the stage of lung cancer. Some patients can undergo curative surgery, but if cancer is detected in the later stages, they might need a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation.
Some symptoms of lung cancer are:
Coughing up blood
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Hoarseness
Loss of appetite
Unexplained weight loss
Feeling tired or weak
Persistent infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia
Smoking can have devastating effects on your lungs. As you smoke, you can develop emphysema, which is holes in the lung. This prevents your lungs from being able to absorb the amount of oxygen needed for your body, and you may need to use supplemental oxygen. Continued smoking can damage your airways and possibly lead to COPD. All of this affects your ability to breathe.
But it’s important to note that you can develop lung cancer without previously having emphysema or any other related conditions.
To help prevent lung cancer, we urge patients to quit smoking, avoid secondhand smoke, maintain a well-balanced diet, exercise, and get regular lung cancer screenings.
It is crucial to establish care with a primary care physician so you can have these conversations with them and review family history and health issues to determine if a lung screening is needed. CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System has a robust primary care network and specialists in our hospitals across San Antonio.
To learn more about lung cancer, visit our website, CHRISTUSHealth.org.
