Lung cancer prevention and treatment

                  Lung cancer prevention and treatment

     What exactly is lung cancer? How does it affect me? Why should I care about it?

  Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, accounting for nearly 26% of total new cancer diagnoses every year. Yet only 15% of patients die from their disease. The rest live longer thanks to advanced treatments, screening, and early detection.

 It’s important for everyone to know about lung cancer because it affects both men and women equally (with men being diagnosed at a rate of 2.5 times higher). But it also has a significant impact on society, costing billions each year in treatment costs alone.

Lung cancer prevention and treatment

1. Avoid tobacco smoke

 The biggest cause of lung cancer is smoking cigarettes. Cigarette smoke contains high levels of tar, carbon monoxide, nicotine and many kinds of toxins and carcinogens. Cigarettes are responsible for 90 percent of lung cancers and 85 percent of deaths due to lung cancer. If you want to avoid lung cancer, you should never start smoking. However, if you already started smoking, quitting is the best way to protect yourself from lung cancer. You may get lung cancer even after you quit smoking, but it happens less often than before you quit.

 2. Quit using other potentially dangerous products

 Secondhand smoke is just as dangerous as direct smoke. Second-hand smoke occurs when someone smokes in close proximity to others. Quitting smoking does not mean quitting all forms of second-hand smoke exposure. To reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and lung cancer caused by second-hand smoke, avoid using combustible fuels such as gasoline, coal and wood inside your home or car. 

Use a noncombustible fuel like electric heating instead. Also, don’t burn trash or use candles unless they have been specially designed for safe burning (such as those sold at hardware stores). And make sure children do not breathe any fumes while playing around fireplaces or stoves.

 3. Get regular screening tests

 Regular screenings of blood and urine help detect lung cancer early. These screenings can take place once per year for smokers younger than 55 years old and twice annually for smokers older than 55. In addition, annual chest X-rays can be performed to screen for changes in the size and shape of the lungs and tumors. 

Mammography can find breast cancer earlier and is recommended yearly starting at age 40. Ask your doctor about how frequently these tests need to be done depending on your personal medical history.

 4. Consider diet and lifestyle changes

 Eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly helps lower the risk of developing lung cancer. Fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables may keep your digestive system clean and free of harmful bacteria, which might contribute to lung cancer.

Lifestyle factors, including drinking alcohol and being overweight or obese, may increase your risk of getting lung cancer. Being active throughout your lifetime lowers your risks of heart disease, diabetes, some types of cancer, osteoporosis and obesity.