Woman’s Weekly Living Series – July 2019

Earlier diagnosis improves both survival

and quality of life for those with the

condition says Dr Mel Wynne-Jones

lung cancer

Be clear on

see your GP to rule out lung

cancer, asthma, chronic

obstructive pulmonary

disease (which encompasses

chronic bronchitis and

emphysema) and other

lung or heart problems.

Your cough may be

new, or have changed (for

example, because it

sounds different, occurs

at different times of

day, there is more

or less phlegm, it’s harder

to suppress, or you seem

to have recurrent ‘chest

infections’). You may cough

up some bright red or brown

blood (always report this)

and/or get out of breath more

easily than you used to.

Or you may notice unusual

tiredness, sudden unexpected

weight loss (with or without

reduced appetite), pain

in your chest, back

or shoulder or other

‘non-specific’ symptoms.

Tests you

may need

As well as a heart,

lung and blood pressure

examination, your GP may

suggest blood tests, including

your oxygen levels, and

‘blowing’ tests (to assess

your breathing capacity),

a chest X-ray, and a heart

tracing (ECG) and/or scan

(echocardiogram). But if

you’re over 40 and/or she

can’t rule out cancer, she’ll

refer you to be seen by a lung

specialist within two weeks.

You may need a CT scan and

a bronchoscopy (telescope

examination of your windpipe

and lungs, taking tissue

samples if necessary).

The treatment

This depends on a lung

cancer’s type and grade

(aggressiveness), and how far

it has spread. Small, localised

tumours can sometimes be

fully surgically removed along

with some or all of the nearby

lung tissue. More advanced

cancers may be treated with

radiotherapy, chemotherapy,

or a combination of the two,

with additional treatment

for more distant spread. If

treatment isn’t successful,

good palliative care and

Macmillan Cancer Support

can relieve distress (0808 808

0000; macmillan.org.uk).

6 ways to look after your lungs

1

Don’t smoke – not^

smoking has lots of

other benefits, too, and^

smoking outside can still

affect people indoors. For

help with quitting, visit

nhs.uk/livewell/smoking.

2

If you work with

substances that could be^

hazardous to health, follow^

protective advice – visit

hse.gov.uk/coshh.

3

Avoid inhaling home-

cleaning and other^

products by ensuring the^

room is well-ventilated;^

use an extractor fan^

when cooking on the hob.

4

Wear a mask for

dust-producing DIY;^

always check first for

asbestos risks – visit

hse.gov.uk/asbestos.

5

Maintain a healthy^

weight by eating a^

balanced diet and plenty of^

fruit and veg.

6

Stand, walk or cycle

as far away as you can

from vehicle exhausts. Use^

backstreets and avoid the^

rush hour if you can.

photos: Getty/spL, Getty

L

ung cancer is the UK’s

third most common

cancer with over

46,000 new cases a year.

It’s important to act on early

symptoms – even if you’re

young and don’t smoke.

The causes

Almost 90% of cases are

linked to tobacco smoke,

including past, passive, and

cannabis smoking; it’s also

linked to a wide range of

environmental, workplace

and indoor pollutants and

toxins. Around 9% may be

linked to eating too little fruit

and veg, and you’re more at

risk if a parent or sibling

had lung cancer or if you

have immune-system

problems. But 10% of cases

affect non-smokers, and

although it’s more common

with age, a quarter of lung

cancers are diagnosed before

the age of 65.

The symptoms

These can be caused by

many other conditions, so

it can be tempting to blame

a ‘smoker’s cough’ or a

lingering virus, and ignore

a cough or breathlessness.

But if these are severe, or

last more than three weeks,

HealtH spotligHt