SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio doctor is warning all smokers about the dangers of tobacco and what they should do to make sure they don’t develop lung cancer.
November marks Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
The lungs are two sponge-like organs in the chests that help us breathe. They are separated into sections called lobes. The right lung has three lobes, and the left has two.
Lung cancer is the second-most common type of cancer in the country behind breast cancer.
Dr. Antoine Harb, a medical oncologist and hematologist at the Start Center for Cancer Care in San Antonio, said there were approximately 240,000 lung cancer diagnoses across the country last year.
There are two main diagnoses of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLS) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
According to the American Cancer Society, 80% to 85% of lung cancers are NSCLC. There are three main subtypes of this particular cancer:
- Adenocarcinoma: This NSCLC starts in the cells in the lung that make mucus and is the most common type of NSCLC. It typically occurs in people who are current and/or former smokers. It can also be found in non-smokers.
- Squamous cell carcinoma: This NSCLC begins in the squamous cells, which are flat cells that line the inside of the lungs’ airways. It is often linked to a history of smoking.
- Large call carcinoma: This NSCLC can appear in any part of the lung and is an aggressive cancer that can grow and spread quickly.
”We have to remember that about 10% of lung cancers happen in nonsmokers,“ Harb said. ”These are patients who never smoked or barely smoked in their life."
WATCH BELOW: Risk factors of lung cancer and who is more likely to develop the disease
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
According to the American Cancer Society, about 10% to 15% of lung cancers are SCLC.
This type of cancer tends to grow and spread quicker than NSCLC. It also tends to be found in other parts of the body before a diagnosis.
Dangers of smoking:
Smoking tobacco is the biggest risk factor for lung cancer, according to Harb.
The American Cancer Society said 90% of men and more than 84% of women who develop lung cancer are either current smokers or were previous smokers.
“Education is primordial for patients, specifically the patients who are current smokers or previous smokers,” Harb said.
Harb wants smokers to know the signs and symptoms of lung cancer. As with any cancer, the earlier it is caught, the better chance a patient has to beat it.
Symptoms of lung cancer:
- Lingering cough
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Fatigue: typically felt when the cancer is more advanced
- Weight loss: typically seen when the cancer is more advanced
- Back/bone pain: typically felt when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body
- Headaches/dizziness/seizures: typically felt when the cancer has spread to the brain
“About 50% of the patients that we see at our center are diagnosed in Stage 4, unfortunately,” Harb said.
Lung cancer treatment:
Treatment of lung cancer depends on the stage of a patient’s diagnosis.
Treatments can involve radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgery. The lungs are vital to life, so surgery on the lungs to remove the cancer is delicate.
There are different types of surgeries a lung cancer patient can receive:
- Pneumonectomy: This surgery involves the removal of an entire lung. It is typically needed when a tumor is too close to the center of the chest.
- Lobectomy: This surgery is the removal of one of the lung’s lobes. This is often the preferred type of operation.
- Segmentectomy/wedge resection: This operation is one where part of a lobe is removed. It is typically done when the patient does not have enough normal lung function to withstand removing an entire lobe.
“The surgeons are offering a smaller surgery with lesser potential for complications,” Harb said.
Other than not smoking, Harb said getting an annual checkup with your primary care physician can best prevent lung cancer.
The test Harb recommends is a low-dose CAT scan. This test is a quick picture of the chest that can be used to catch lung cancer early.
“If I could send a message to every current smoker or previous smoker, please talk to your primary care providers about getting a CAT scan every year,” Harb said.