World Lung Cancer Day

 

Every year August 1 is celebrated as World Lung Cancer Day. On this day, people around increased awareness and learn more about the issues related to lung cancer.

Globally, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women, according to the World Health Organization. In 2020, there were 2.21 million new cases of lung cancer and 1.80 million deaths from the disease worldwide.

It is important to recognise that, despite the widespread belief that smoking causes lung cancer, occupational risks also play a key role in the disease's development and that smoking may exacerbate the effects of occupational exposure to exacerbate lung cancer.

SIGNIFICANCE:

One important reminder of the ongoing battle against lung cancer is World Lung Cancer Day in 2024. The day's significance is as follows:

1.      Raise public awareness: Early detection and better outcomes can result from educating the public about lung cancer, its symptoms, and risk factors.

2.      Encourage prevention: Stressing the value of giving up smoking, limiting exposure to toxins, and embracing a healthy lifestyle to minimise the risk of developing lung cancer.

3.     Assist sufferers' relatives: supplying resources and information to patients and their families to assist in coping with the challenges of receiving a lung cancer diagnosis and treatment.

4.      Promote research: promoting more money and assistance for lung cancer research to improve care and eventually find a cure.

FACTS:

1.     Roughly 85% of occurrences of lung cancer are caused by smoking, making it the primary cause of the disease.

2.    When there are few treatment options available, lung cancer is frequently identified at an advanced stage.

3.      High-risk patients may be screened to increase survival rates significantly and enable early identification.

4.      Primary prevention can lower the incidence of lung cancer and save lives. Examples of primary prevention include tobacco control efforts and lowering exposure to environmental risk factors.

5.   Lung cancer has the greatest mortality rates amongst both men and women, making it the primary cause of cancer-related fatalities globally.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

There are various symptoms of lung cancer that could point to a lung issue. Amongst the most typical symptoms are:

1.     Persistent cough

2.    Breathlessness and chest discomfort

3.   Coughing up blood (haemoptysis) fatigue, weight loss with no recognised cause of lung infections that keep coming back.

4.  Early signs could be insignificant or written off as typical respiratory problems, delaying diagnosis.