Silent symptoms: How to catch the deadliest cancer early

MANILA, Philippines - The C-Network recently initiated a lung cancer awareness campaign, in cooperation with the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO) and Roche Philippines.

“Early diagnosis and treatment requires timely presentation to the doctor. In order to achieve this, awareness needs to be raised significantly through government and health care professionals to alert people at risk of developing non-small cell lung cancer. Increased coverage in media can help to create awareness and improve the situation,” said Dr. Dennis Ramon Tudtud, PSMO president.

A global survey showed that only 15 percent of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at an early, curable stage. Other cancer types fare better with 60 percent of breast cancer, 80 percent of prostate cancer and 39 percent of colon cancer being diagnosed early in the past few years.

One of the reasons why lung cancer is usually detected at a late, sometimes incurable, stage is that its common symptoms are mostly non-specific and can be indicative of other illnesses or conditions.

This means that symptoms are sometimes disregarded, a major factor why many patients go to their doctors at a later stage when the disease has already advanced.

Doctors advise never to disregard symptoms such as a persistent cough and a change in a persistent cough; shortness of breath, coughing up phlegm with signs of blood; aches or pains when breathing or coughing; loss of appetite, fatigue and loss of weight.

Although smoking is one of the major causes of lung cancer, non-smokers should also be watchful of these symptoms. A published report from the Lung Cancer Alliance, a US-based non-profit organization, noted that:

• Nearly 80 percent of new lung cancer patients have never smoked or have already quit.

• Lung cancer in never-smokers is the sixth biggest cancer killer.

The Lung Cancer Alliance report confirmed that almost 25 percent of lung cancers worldwide are not attributable to smoking. Based on global statistics, it is estimated that about 15 percent of lung cancers in men and 53 percent in women are not attributable to smoking, and the proportion is expected to increase as successful smoking prevention/cessation programs are implemented.

“Non-smokers may disregard these symptoms because they may reason that is not possible for them to be afflicted by lung cancer. But regular screening will go a long way in maintaining your peace of mind,” he said.

Several diagnostic methods for lung cancer may be explored to make screening a regular part of an individual’s lung cancer prevention and early detection. These are:

• Radiological/Nuclear Medicine: X-rays detect enlarged lymph nodes in the chest or a localized mass in the lungs; Computed Tomography Scan (CT Scan), a computer-assisted technique that produces cross-sectional images of the body and confirms the size of the cancer, as well as possible spread to organs; Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI Scan) which uses a magnetic field to create an image of the chest to determine the location and extent of the cancer.

• Cell Tissue Analysis: Cytology where a sputum tissue sample is taken and which confirms diagnosis and type of cancer (limited to tumors that extend into the airways); Bronchoscopy, which offers a visual exam of the trachea and internal parts of the lungs, and which gathers cells for analysis and biopsy; Needle Biopsy with CT Scan, which obtains cells for analysis to determine presence of lung cancer cells.

• Other Tests. Blood Chemistry Tests, which may suggest presence of metastases in the bone or liver.

“Cancer is something that everyone wants to prevent and in lung cancer, aggressive non-smoking campaigns need everyone’s support. Awareness is really important, taking heed of the alarming mortality rate of lung cancer here in the Philippines as well as globally. We believe that talking about it, making sure that everyone is armed with more and more information, is a big step in empowering everyone to take a hand in lowering both the incidence and number of deaths,” Tudtud said.

Since its launch in 2004, the C-Network has become an active partner of the different anti-cancer groups like the Philippine Society of Oncology, Philippine Society of Medical Oncology, Department of Health, Philippine Cancer Society, and pharmaceutical company Roche.

The C-Network has also worked closely with various cancer patient support groups in its campaign to share the latest information on cancer care and prevention.