90% lung cancer cases detected in last stage: Doc

Manav Mander

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Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 24

Lung cancer was one of the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer, Dr Amit Dhiman, head and senior medical oncologist at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, said, while expressing concern over the rising number of cases in Ludhiana. The sad part was this more than 90 per cent of the cases were detected in the last stages, he added.

“There has been 30-40 per cent increase in the cases of lung cancer over the decade and the average age of patients is decreasing. Earlier, patients in the age group of 60 were coming, but now the patients belong to the younger age group,” said Dr Dhiman.

Showing concern over the increasing lung cancer cases and related deaths in Ludhiana, he emphasised the need on creating awareness about the myths associated with the disease, the importance of early, appropriate diagnosis and the strong potential of the novel targeted therapy with personalised medicine for successful treatment and cure.

Highlighting incidence and causes of lung cancer in Ludhiana, Dr Dhiman said “Lung cancer cannot be completely prevented, but the risk of acquiring it can be controlled. Smoking tobacco and exposure to cancer causing agents such as asbestos, radon, industrial and air pollution and diesel exhaust have been major causes of lung cancer in Ludhiana. The risk of acquiring lung cancer can be controlled by preventing exposure to these carcinogens.”

Lung cancer was the second most common cancer among men in India and smoking tobacco was the main cause of lung cancer in India, he said.

Emphasising on the importance of timely diagnosis of lung cancer, Dr Dhiman said “9 out of 10 cases in Ludhiana are diagnosed only in advanced stage. At this stage, the treatment can only prolong the patient’s survival but it is not possible to cure the disease. Recommended diagnostic tests for lung cancer include CT scan, tissue biopsy and sputum cytology. In a country like India, where tuberculosis is rampant, it is common to find a lung cancer patient being treated for tuberculosis initially. If any of these tests show any signs and symptoms of lung cancer, it is advisable to visit an oncologist at the earliest.”

Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that start off in one or both lungs. The abnormal cells do not develop into healthy lung tissue; they divide rapidly forming one of the three types of tumours.

Dr Dhiman said “In the last few years, there has been a lot of improvement in lung cancer diagnosis and treatment. The latest advancement in lung cancer treatment is targeted therapy which is a more individualised form of treatment. The targeted therapy work much better compared to the standard chemotherapy drugs. It only interferes with the development of cancer at molecular level to block the growth and spread of cancer. Targeted therapy is definitely the treatment of choice in the future as it only kills the cancer cells, minimises the side effects such as hair loss and skin damage and has been successful in improving both the survival and cure rate in cancer patients and available in oral formulations.