World Lung Cancer Day is August 1st

Kacey Flores, PA-C, Physician Assistant, Coastal Gateway Health Center

Since its inception in 2012, World Lung Cancer Day has been observed every year on August 1^st to raise awareness and increase lung cancer research funding. This day is significant because lung cancer continues to be one of the most common cancers worldwide, claiming more lives yearly than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined.

What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer happens when normal cells in the lungs change into abnormal cells and grow out of control. There are different types of lung cancer. Some types grow much faster and are more aggressive than others. Cigarette smoke (including secondhand smoke) causes most lung cancers. Other risk factors include radiation, radon, age, occupational and environmental factors, family and genetic factors, lung diseases, and other cancers.

Common symptoms of lung cancer can include cough, trouble breathing or wheezing, spitting or coughing up blood, chest pain, hoarse voice, headache, and swelling of the face, arms, or neck. All of these symptoms can also be caused by conditions that are not lung cancer. However, if you have these symptoms, it is important to talk to your practitioner.

What can I do?

The most important step to reduce the chance of getting lung cancer is to quit smoking. For people at high risk, lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans can reduce the risk of death from lung cancer. High-risk patients include those who are between the ages of 50 and 80, have a history of 20 pack-years of cigarette use (for example, one pack a day for 20 years, or two packs a day for ten years) or more, and anyone who has smoked within the past 15 years – current or former. More detailed information about lung cancer screening is available at www.shouldiscreen.com.

A low-dose CT scan is a special kind of X-ray that takes a series of pictures as you lie on a table that slides in and out of a machine. Most health insurance plans cover lung cancer screening at little or no cost to high-risk patients. If lung cancer is caught before it spreads (in early phases), the likelihood of surviving five years or more improves to 60 percent!

Key Points

The most important thing you can do to prevent lung cancer is to quit smoking cigarettes – a habit that is entirely preventable.   Encourage loved ones who smoke to choose other healthy habits over smoking to eliminate their risk of cancer. Attending routine checkups with your practitioner and having yearly physicals are other important steps in maintaining overall lung health.

Until a cure for lung cancer is discovered, it is vital that we raise awareness of the risk factors and symptoms of this disease on World Lung Cancer Day.

Coastal Gateway Health Center can be reached by phone at 409.296.4444 or by email at [email protected].  For more information regarding our services and programs, please visit our website at www.coastalgatewayhc.org or find and follow us on Facebook.  We are proud to be #yourcommunityhealthcenter.