Lung cancer, the keys to a highly fatal but preventable tumor

You are going to forgive me the expression, but, as they say in my people, "some snaps are sounds and others are sipped." This graphical sentence is applicable to multiple aspects of life and, among them, also the media treatment and social perception that different types of cancer receive.

While, for example, every year, on October 19, breast cancer receives great media coverage and, thanks to this, it is possible to contribute to prevention and its diagnosis, even collect important funds that contribute to research, other types of Cancer like lung cancer celebrate their "birthday" almost unnoticed.

This week, on November 17, the International Lung Cancer Day has been held and I would like to dedicate these lines to talk about the tumor that causes more deaths around the world. Yes, as they hear it. Only in Spain every year 22,000 victims are charged, being here the most common fourth tumor (behind colon and rectum, prostate and breast).

They are some of the keys that can help in prevention and early diagnosis:

Although until recently it seemed that this cancer was mainly "thing of men", for a few years there has been an increase in cases among women because from the seventies they also started in habit (something that had great Impact, even from the cinematographic point of view). The result is that for women this tumor sneaks on the podium being the third with the highest incidence between them, only behind Mama and Colon.

But the key is not only on tobacco, but they play two other factors in the equation. In the first place, it is that, according to experts, the harmful effect of tobacco on women could be greater than in men. By explaining it in a simple way: the ability to eliminate toxic related to tobacco could be less effective in women.

Second, they have a later diagnosis because, as we commented, the myth is still rooted that lung cancer "is a disease of men." However, statistics are demonstrating that the tie is closer to the prevalence of this type of tumors between both genders.

At this point we all know that the main factor that can increase the chances of lung cancer is smoking. The data speaks for themselves: around 80% of the deaths due to lung cancer are due to smoking habit and people who smoke are between 15 and 30 times more likely to contract this type of cancer or die for this cause.

And yes, the amount matters. We know that the longer it smokes and how many more cajetillas are consumed up to date, the greater the risk. On the contrary, there are studies that point out that those who are able to reduce the number of cigarettes that smoke up-to-date are more likely to end up abandoning tabochic habit. That is, any small step counts and can be final to quit smoking.

To this main risk factor adds others such as being a passive smoker, that is, breathing smoke smoke, environmental pollution, family history of lung cancer and exposure to certain chemical substances such as asbestos or gas radon .

Experts also discourage their use since, not only are their long-term effects yet, but especially for young people "uninitiated" can become the gateway to smoking.

With respect to young people, because, statistically, now they start smoking since they are 16, the age at which the first symptoms of lung cancer appear. Recall that mortality rates in this tumor are always manifested between ten and twenty years after the greatest peaks of tobacco consumption occur. Yes, do accounts. At 26 we could find the first symptoms in some young people.

One of the main pitches is the difficulty of diagnosis since the first symptoms appear when the tumor is in advanced state. If we add that, according to, a survey carried out in nine European countries, 20% of the population is not able to identify a single symptom of lung cancer, it is urgent to take measures for the general population, and the Young people in particular, become familiar with this type of cancer.

People with lung cancer can experience symptoms such as fatigue, persistent cough, shortness of breath, blood respective, weight loss, loss of appetite or ronquera. In the appearance of these symptoms, going to the doctor as soon as possible can advance the diagnosis and, with the help of science, save lives. Because we do not forget, the lives are not saved thanks to magic or luck, but to science and policies that promote prevention and early diagnosis.