November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and a great opportunity to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of lung cancer as well as to highlight some of the wonderful work taking place in the region for lung cancer patients.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the world, with more people dying from lung cancer than breast, colorectal and prostate cancers combined.
Around 11,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer in Australia each year.
Western NSW Local Health District Medical Oncologist Rob Zielinski said the good news is that a focus on personalised treatment is providing hope to lung cancer patients for increased survival.
“Although chemotherapy remains the backbone of our treatments there are several new exciting oral drugs that target specific lung cancer mutations,” Dr Zielinski said.
“These drugs have milder side effects and perform better than traditional chemotherapy. We are entering a new treatment age for lung cancer where there is real hope with effective treatments for even advanced lung cancers”.
Dr Zielinski said all lung tumours are different, depending on gene mutations and other factors such as race, age and smoking history.
“It’s not a ‘one treatment fits all’ approach, and we are finding by customising treatment to suit a particular type of tumour, our patients are experiencing better outcomes”.
While new and customised treatments are improving the outcomes for people diagnosed with lung cancer, early detection is vital as if found at an earlier stage the disease is often curable.
According to Cancer Australia, the signs and symptoms of lung cancer can include:
* a new cough that has persisted for three weeks or more;
* a changed cough;
* coughing up blood;
* a chest infection that won’t go away;
* chest pain and/or shoulder pain;
* shortness of breath;
* hoarse voice; or
* weight loss or loss of appetite
“Of course prevention is what we want people to really focus on, so leading a healthy life, including eating a good diet, getting regular exercise, avoiding smoking and limiting exposure to second-hand smoke is important,” Dr Zielinski said.
Smoking rates in rural areas are about 40% higher than major cities.
Western NSW Local Health District recently launched the ‘You just Don’t Smoke Around Hospitals’ campaign to clear the air on health campuses around the LHD.