Dr Ravindra Mehta, Chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Interventional Pulmonology, Apollo Specialty Hospitals, Bangalore talks about lung cancer and highlights the diagnostic techniques
Lumps or tumors are of two types, benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous).Cancer is a disease where cells in any part of the human body can grow uncontrollably. Malignant tissues invade into other tissues and can form new tissues through a process called metastasis.
Symptoms of lung cancer
Lung Cancer is the most fatal type of cancer and is the leading cause of death due to cancer in the world. Lung cancer is life-threatening because it starts showing symptoms at an extremely late stage, by which it is too advanced to try for a cure. Symptoms include cough that does not go away, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, chest pain, bone pain and unintentional weight loss. Most of these lung cancer symptoms are seen in other diseases and ailments, making it difficult to detect a lung cancer at an early stage.
Cigarette smokers and tobacco users are at a higher risk of developing lung cancer. According to a recent report on lung cancer in India,[1] tobacco smoking was found to be the principal risk factor for lung cancer. Other risk factors include air pollution, exposure to radon gas and carcinogens, previous radiation therapy, and exposure to second-hand smoke. According to theNational Centre of Biotechnology Innovation[2] , around 30% of the Indian adult population is exposed to second-hand smoking.
Prevention for lung cancer
Considering the extent and the dangers of this ailment, it is imperative for people to stay vigilant and aware of symptoms. We need to reduce risk factors like tobacco use, exposure to harmful gases, and second-hand smoke. It is advisable to get regular check-ups and screening for high-risk people and be aware of symptoms of lung cancer. If caught at an early stage, the mortality rates associated with lung cancer can be reduced.
It is recommended that people with following conditions should get regular screenings:
- If you are a smoker or used to smoke in past
- If there is family history of lung cancer
Diagnostic techniques for lung cancer
There have been various screening techniques that have been developed in the recent times to detect cancer at an early stage:
- Chest X-rays are the most basic form of screening and followed by CT scans as needed.
- In Western societies, high risk patients such as chronic smokers are screened with period low dose (safe) CT scans.
- In people with Xray or CT abnormalities, a high-end cancer scan called ‘PET scan’ can help differentiate between cancerous and non-cancerous tissues.
- As all cancer diagnosis requires tissue, a procedure called bronchoscopy where a thin tube is inserted into the airway under mild anaesthesia is needed. Recent technology allows visualization and biopsy of suspicious cancer glands and tumours with a tiny ultrasound fitted within the endoscope called EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound). These EBUS guided biopsies are another efficient method to determine whether a tumourin the body is benign or malignant.
- These minimally invasive EBUS guided biopsies have been made more successful by sampling products like the ‘Acquire Pulmonary Endobronchial Ultrasound Transbronchial Aspiration Needles.’ These enable quick sampling and help in getting accurate results.
Advancements in medical technology are providing new avenues for us to diagnose problems early, which is the crux of successful therapy. Regular check-ups and screening people at high-risk for lung cancer such as smokers can detect cancer at an early stage and improve outcomes.
Indeed, a combination of knowledge, understanding and appropriately used technology can make a difference in the approach and outcomes in lung cancer – when it comes to this disease, truly ‘a stitch in time saves nine.’
References:
[1]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4991146/
[2]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31865581/#:~:text=Secondhand%20smoke%20(SHS)%20accounts%20for,in%20public%20places%20is%20banned.
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