Cancer is a term used for a group of diseases which can affect any part of your body and can even result in death (the obvious reality these days). Smoking stands as one of the main reasons for causing cancer, mostly of the lung cancer.
According to the WHO, “Cancer has been the leading cause of deaths worldwide. In 2018, it accounts for 9.6 million deaths.” For very long have we been hearing that smoking is injurious to health, but do we listen? No, we don’t. It’s high time we realise the importance of a healthy body and healthy lungs. We don’t need to breathe them out before the actual time frame.
As we all know, cancer is one of the leading causes of death across the world. Among those, lung cancer is responsible for more deaths than any other type of cancer in both men and women.
November is Lung Cancer awareness month, and we need to acknowledge the fact that, “Lung Cancer is responsible for more deaths than prostate, colon, and breast cancer combined.”
The type of cancer that affects our lungs is known as lung cancer. It mostly affects people who are addicted to smoking. It is further divided into many types and non-small cell lung cancer is the most common among those. Small cell lung cancer and bronchial adenoma are other types of lung cancer. All of these have further sub-types.
Both non-small cell and small-cell lung cancer basically have the same symptoms. The early symptoms may include:
- Lingering or worsening cough
- Hoarseness
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Coughing up phlegm or blood
- Worsening Chest pain is caused when you breathe deeply, laugh, or cough more often
- Weakness and fatigue
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
These are the signs that people should be aware of. You may also suffer from respiratory infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis.
Lung Cancer accounts for 27% of all the cancer deaths and is the leading cause of death by cancer in both men and women.
Lung Cancer can affect anyone, but if we go according to studies and reports, more than 80-85% of cases are the result of smoking.
- Cigarette Smoking has always been considered the leading cause of lung cancer. Smokers are always at risk of developing lung cancer, 15 to 30 times more than those who don’t smoke.
- Breathing in the environment filled with second-hand smoke also puts you at the risk of getting lung cancer.
- High exposure to elements like radon, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, and uranium can also put you at risk of developing lung cancer.
- Today’s world is getting too much affected by pollution. So, our air is also getting impure by the presence of toxic pollutants involving dust and smoke released by the burning of petroleum products. These are also responsible for causing lung cancer.
- A family history of lung cancer can also put you at risk.
- If you have had any radiation therapy on your chest in the past, then there may be a slight chance of getting lung cancer.
- Lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet, and high consumption of alcohol can also bring in the danger.
So what are the important steps to be taken?
- Spreading information and educating people about lung cancer.
- Donating to the cause and helping the patients around the world fighting for survival.
- Get regular check-ups for cancer because you don’t really have to be a smoker to develop one.
- Help the national government, and NGOs and societies working for cancer patients.
- We also need to strengthen our healthcare systems to deliver cure more securely and early.
Lung Cancer is deathly, we all need to fight it together.
Originally published here