LUNG CANCER AWARENESS

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November is Lung Cancer awareness month, which is no surprise when it makes up almost 25% of all cancer deaths each year, making it the deadliest form of cancer recorded!

How common is Lung Cancer?

Considering Lung cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in the world the majority of people diagnosed with lung cancer are 65 and older, with the average age being 70! 1 in 15 men will get lung cancer in their lifetime; for a women it is a 1 in 17 chance, this for both smokers and non-smokers! In the UK each year around 25,300 men and 23,300 are diagnosed each year with Lung cancer. Although it is the leading cause of cancer deaths for both men and women, the number of diagnosed patients is decreasing as more and more people are quitting smoking.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put together rates of diagnosis of new lung cancers by age group. The case counts per 100,00 people as follows:

Age Case counts per 100,000 people
15 to 19 22
20 to 24 66
25 to 29 129
30 to 34 278
35 to 39 551
40 to 44 1,280
45 to 49 3,457
50 to 54 9,479
55 to 59 21,103
60 to 64 29,736
65 to 69 37,623
70 to 74 40,968
75 to 79 34,154
80 to 84 23,556
85+ 18,679

What are the symptoms?

Whilst age, sex and ethnicity may vary symptoms, these are the most common and noticeable symptoms:

  1. Coughing that gets worse or doesn’t go away after 2-3 weeks
  2. Chest infections that keep coming back
  3. An ache or pain when breathing or coughing
  4. Chest Pains
  5. Bone pains
  6. Shortness of breath
  7. Wheezing
  8. Coughing up blood
  9. Feeling very tired all the time
  10. Weight loss with no cause

Do you suspect you might have all of the symptoms of lung cancer? Well here is what to do next…

Seek medical assistance as soon as possible, book an appointment with your local GP and get tested. Even if you are unsure or think you only have a few of the symptoms listed it is better safe then sorry.

Survival rates have been shown to be on the rise since 2018 and the chances of survival when caught in the early stages is looking promising.

Support and Help for those suffering:

Cancer does not only have a physical impact on the body, it also causes a mental and emotional strain, this can be a very isolating and anxious time for the individual and adequate support needs to be put in place.

Family and Friends support will be so imperative for healthy recovery. Many studies have shown that mental health is one of the biggest contributing factors to physical recovery and having a good support system around you is vital.

There are also many support groups available for cancer patients, organizations like Macmillan and Cancer Research UK have amazing support groups for not only the individual suffering from cancer but also for their family and friends.

Watching a loved one suffer an illness like that can take a toll on your mental and physical health also, so do not be afraid or ashamed to seek help.