November is Lung Cancer Awareness month, but this isn’t something we should be talking for just one month. In the U.S. there are close to 10,000 Hispanic people that will get lung cancer this year—the most common cancer & killer among Hispanics.
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Symptoms of Lung Cancer
Unfortunately most lung cancers do not cause symptoms until they have spread too far to be cured, but there are symptoms that occur in the early stages, such as:
• A cough that does not go away or gets worse
• Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing
• Hoarseness
• Weight loss and loss of appetite
• Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm)
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling tired or weak
• Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that don’t go away or keep coming back
• New onset of wheezing
“Lungs have no nerve endings, so you don’t feel pain in the lungs–if you feel pain, it’s something outside the lungs,” explains Dr. Thompson. Unexplained weight loss is a common symptom among most cancers and if you are losing weight without trying or losing it too fast, it might be time to see your doctor.
The main risk factor for lung cancer is smoking cigarettes and if there were less people smoking, there would be a lot less people dying from lung cancer. Other risk factors are second-hand smoking, radon and asbestos. “Cigarette smoking accounts for about 80% of the diagnosis and even though lung cancer is the highest among Hispanic men, the rates of women are close behind because there are more women smoking,” she says. There are more women dying from lung cancer, than breast cancer and ovarian cancer. “More people die from lung cancer, than of colon, prostate, breast and ovarian cancer put together,” says Dr. Thompson.
Education is key and this is why people like Dr. Thompson are passionate about educating people on the subject. Everyone has to work together to educate others and voice smoking cessation, as well as seek medical screening and advice when they have symptoms. “If I educate one person, then they go and talk to their families and this creates a ripple effect, so you’re creating awareness and this is a huge push for prevention.” Smoking cessation is very hard and the more people work together to help others stop smoking, the bigger difference. Already there are some states that prohibit smoking in public places, which has made a difference, even though there’s more work to be done.
“Cancer Treatment Centers of America have partnered with the American Lung Association because they are a very strong association for lung cancer, they have a campaign called Lung Force, which spreads awareness and increases education,” she explains. It went from a small thing and it’s gained momentum. Now they have big buildings going blue and that are creating awareness at a larger scale. Lung Force aims to unite women to stand together against lung cancer and for lung health.