Tuesday marks World No Tobacco Day, which aims to create awareness on the use of tobacco directly or indirectly.
Dr Kgothatso Motumi, head of public policy and market access at Roche Pharmaceuticals, said many people have succumbed to lung cancer as a result of tobacco use. She also stated that it was important to diagnose lung cancer early.
“Recording as many as 2.21-million cases in 2020 alone, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths and while more prevalent in those who smoke, it can occur in those who are non-smokers as well,” she said.
She said although lung cancer is a preventable disease, tobacco smoking is responsible for 80% to 90% of lung cancer in men and 70% to 80% in women. The number of new cases of lung cancer has, however, decreased as many have quit smoking.
“There are several steps to reduce a person’s risk of lung cancer such as avoiding carcinogens, however, most notable is not smoking and avoiding second-hand smoke.”
The symptoms associated with lung cancer are almost the same as day-to-day symptoms experienced by smokers, and can often be attributed to other illnesses.
It is important to be mindful that there are few signs or symptoms in the early stages of lung cancer, and many are only diagnosed once the disease has advanced.
The most common symptoms associated with lung cancer include:
- A persistent cough that does not subside or gets worse
- Coughing up blood or rust-coloured sputum (spit or phlegm)
- Chest pain that grows increasingly painful when breathing deeply, coughing or laughing
- Hoarseness of the voice
- Loss of appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- Shortness of breath
- Constantly feeling tired and weak
- Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that won’t go away or keep reoccurring
- New onset of wheezing
“It is crucial not to ignore the symptoms, irrespective of their severity, and in the case of smokers, in particular, to address any persistent symptoms immediately under the guidance of a medical practitioner,” added Motumi.
If the symptoms that are related to cancer are not treated, cancer may spread to other parts of the body. This may cause pain in the bones, and nervous system changes including headaches, weakness, or numbness in the arm or leg. If cancer spreads to the brain, a person can get jaundice and cancer of the liver.
She said their campaign brings together the stories of those affected by cancer from a patient, caregiver, and doctor’s perspective, and aims to provide messages of hope to those living with the disease, increase awareness of it, and help people recognise the symptoms associated with lung cancer to urge them to seek medical intervention.
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