With 72,510 cases, 66,279 deaths, lung cancer a major health concern in India

There are a lot of challenges in diagnosing lung cancer, which decreases the survival rate of the patients

By Neelambaran A  Published on  5 Dec 2024 9:17 AM IST
With 72,510 cases, 66,279 deaths, lung cancer a major health concern in India

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New Delhi: Lung cancer cases are expected to double by 2025, as per a report by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). With an annual incidence of 72,510 cases and 66,279 deaths, lung cancer is one of the major health concerns in India.

Smoking and outdoor air pollution are considered the primary reasons for lung cancer, while people who do not smoke are candidates for the condition for multiple reasons, including passive and third-party smoking.

The delay and difficulty in diagnosis of lung cancer make it a massive challenge for appropriate treatment, while incidental diagnosis helps in curing the condition.

Causes and symptoms

Lungs are two spongy organs in the chest, tasked with the duty of controlling breathing. The growth of harmful cells in the organs and the subsequent damaged cells dividing uncontrollably, creating masses or tumors is called lung cancer.

Dr Subhakar Nadella, consultant clinical and interventional pulmonologist at KIMS Hospital, Kondapur explained the preventable and nonpreventable causes of lung cancer.

ā€œThe leading cause of lung cancer is smoking which is a preventable cause. The nonpreventable causes include outdoor air pollution and vehicular pollution among other causesā€, he said.

The symptoms of lung cancer are generic including coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, weight loss, and loss of appetite.

ā€œAnother major symptom includes Hemoptysis. A person having Hemoptysis coughs blood. Most symptoms are common for other infections, making the task of diagnosis tougherā€, Dr Subhakar said.

Challenges in diagnosing lung cancer

There are a lot of challenges in diagnosing lung cancer, which decreases the survival rate of the patients.

ā€œBy the time we see major symptoms, the cancer would have spread and reached stage 3 or 4. The challenges include several infections in India, which result in nodules while performing CT scans and are difficult to distinguish between nodules due to infection or lung cancerā€, Dr Subhakar said.

The lung cancer cases that are diagnosed incidentally at early stages have the best possibility of cure and recovery.

ā€œWhen a patient doesn't recover from viral fever or infection for a prolonged period, we do x-rays and CT scans. Such steps would help in the incidental detection of lung cancerā€, Dr Subhakar added.

Threats of smoking

Smoking is considered the single biggest cause of lung cancer. Active, passive, and third-party smoking can cause cancer, while indoor pollution is considered a probable cause of lung cancer.

ā€œIndividuals who directly smoke, those who are breathing the released smoke, and even people who touch the particles deposited in places after someone had smoked in the room or specific area are possible candidates for lung cancer. It is highly recommended not to smoke so that the individual and others are not affectedā€, Dr Subhakar said.

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