Lesser Known Facts About Lung Cancer You Should Know
Lung cancer can be a deadly disease if detected late as curative options gets limited.
Usually lung cancer patients get into advanced stage when they get the diagnosis and ultimately, they are out of curative windows where surgery can be offered.
The earlier the stage is the better is outcome, like till stage 3a with advanced surgical procedures and chemo plus targeted therapy a person can be attempted for complete cure from lung cancer.
So earlier the diagnosis is made better can be the outcome.
So, if any patient has got significant smoking history or other risk factors like family history there should be annual health screening and also annual low dose ct screening can be done in selected high-risk group patients so that any chances of early detection of any lung cancer in early/earliest possible stage can be identified and treated accordingly.
Also, to emphasise not to ignore symptoms like cough fever weight loss and blood in sputum specially if they are not improving with medicines always ask your treating doctor for ruling out any possibilities of cancer.
Also delay in diagnosis of cancer would lead to deterioration in health conditions which may make patients unfit for possible treatment course as for any surgery or advanced cancer treatment patient should have good reserves and capacity to bear both physically and financially.
So, it is important to navigate yourself on right Path for early diagnosis of cancer and treatment.
With the current situations of lifestyle, stressful states, smoking, poor nutrition and air pollution disease like lung cancer will not be uncommon.
A patient goes to doctor when body starts to develop symptoms. Lung cancer symptoms can be either silent or even non-specific that makes it sometimes to grow undetected.
If patient who has smoking history has symptoms like cough that is not going despite treatment, spitting of blood in sputum, weight loss, poor appetite a doctor might ask you for series of tests/investigations including X-ray which may show some spot/nodule. If that abnormality is not getting better or increasing on serial X-ray then a doctor may ask you for CT scan and biopsy to rule out lung cancer type of situation.
Good thing is with current era hospitals and doctors are well equipped with latest advanced machinery to reach deeper into the diagnosis.
Many a times cancer can be shown up on routine investigations as incidental findings despite no symptoms at all. There lies the importance of regular health check-ups with your doctor to fish out any silent sign of cancer.
There are many diseases which may mimic and co exists lung cancer in terms of symptoms like tuberculosis which may have strikingly similar symptoms and signs as of lung cancer. So it is important to diagnose accurately and not just on basis of X-rays but even diagnosis of tb has to be confirmed before starting the treatment as wrong treatment or inadequate treatment wastes a lot of time. So any time one is facing any problem like mentioned above don’t ignore them and consult your doctor.
The best way to turn away the risk of cancer is to correct the lifestyle , give up on smoking and saving itself from air pollution
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