Lung cancer is one of the most insidious and difficult to treat cancers. It develops for a long time asymptomatically, which is why patients often go to the doctor when the disease is in a very advanced stage. The main factor contributing to the development of lung cancer is smoking, as well as passive smoking and exposure to other toxic substances. Learn more about the causes of lung cancer and the symptoms that may indicate the disease.
The incidence of lung cancer and mortality in Poland are very high. If a few years ago this cancer mainly bothered men, now there is a systematic increase in the percentage of ill women. Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of death of cancer patients in our country and in the world. It attacks silently and quickly leads to metastasis, which further worsens the prognosis of patients.
Lung cancer in Poland. Statistics
Poland ranks worst among the EU countries when it comes to statistics related to incidence and mortality from lung cancer. There is a lack of proper coordination of prevention, diagnosis and consultation, as well as modern methods of treatment that have been used for many years in other countries. This, in addition to the deliberate actions of smokers, who account for more than 90% of diagnosed patients, has an impact on such tragic statistics.
About 24,000 patients die of lung cancer every year in Poland, a staggering number and there is no sign that it can decrease. The situation is not improved by rising prices for cigarettes, as smokers increasingly choose to buy ready-made tobacco products and tobacco on the black market. This is another threat, because cigarettes and tobacco produced in illegal factories are not subject to any control, and due to lack of hygiene, for example, may contain mutagenic substances that are not found in commercially available cigarettes.
Examples include pesticides and other chemicals, as well as mold and fungus spores. Air pollution, which is clearly visible in the form of smog, also affects the statistics of lung cancer. By inhaling smog, each of us “smokes” about a pack of cigarettes a day, increasing the risk of developing lung cancer.
Lung cancer - causes
The most common cause of lung cancer is heavy smoking. We know that smoking is harmful, but addiction is stronger than our mind. Compounds with a strong mutagenic effect, being deposited in the lungs and circulating in our body, damage cells, leading to the development of tumor lesions. Smoking affects the entire body, contributing to the development of other diseases. Pancreatic cancer is also very common in smokers. Other causes of lung cancer include:
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working in dusty conditions
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inhalation of chemical vapors,
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contact with asbestos and other toxic substances,
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passive smoking,
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air pollution.
Lung cancer in non-smokers is usually the result of cancer cell metastasis. Very often, lung cancer is the result of metastasis from the breast, skin, and kidneys. Very rarely, lung tumors develop in people who do not smoke and are not exposed to other factors that increase the risk of developing lung cancer.
Types of lung cancer
Most often, tumors in the lungs are of non-small cell and small cell origin. Non-small cell lesions, such as squamous cell carcinoma, account for about 80% of all diagnosed cases.
Lung cancer - symptoms
In the early stages, lung cancer does not cause symptoms that might prompt us to see a doctor and get tested. What’s more, smokers, fearful of detecting abnormalities, forgo prevention and underestimate the symptoms of later stages of cancer, seeking medical attention when it’s too late for effective treatment. Some of the common symptoms of lung cancer include:
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dry cough,
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dyspnea,
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subfebrile fever or fever,
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recurrent fungal infections,
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decrease in the efficiency of the body,
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expectoration of secretions with blood,
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chest pain and back pain
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weakness,
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recurrent pneumonia,
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chronic hoarseness,
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wheezing when breathing
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night sweats.
In the early stages of lung cancer, a gradual decrease in exercise tolerance, the occurrence of paroxysmal cough during exercise, weakness associated with hypoxia are observed. Weight loss is also a symptom that may indicate the development of lung cancer.
prof. Adam Maciejczyk for Wprost: Lung cancer is not a death sentence
Monika Witkowska “Wprost”: What is the prognosis for lung cancer patients in Poland? Do they differ from European standards?
prof. Adam Maciejczyk: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Europe. In 2019, about 235,000 people died from this disease in the EU. The 5-year patient survival rates in Poland do not differ significantly from European results - depending on gender, they are 14-19 percent. However, it should be emphasized that comparisons of cancer treatment outcomes across countries without taking into account the stage of the disease should be interpreted very carefully.
In addition, it should be noted that the available data on the life expectancy of lung cancer patients cover the period before the introduction of funding for new lung cancer treatments in Poland; we still have to wait for a rational assessment of the effect of these actions.
What determines the success of lung cancer treatment?
Treatment of lung cancer is a multidisciplinary, complex process, the success of which depends on many factors. The most important, of course, is the stage of the disease. A patient in the first stage of progression has a very good chance (about 90%) of a permanent cure. In Poland we have access to modern thoracic surgery (thoracic surgery - ed. note) and stereotactic radiation therapy (radiation treatment for cancer - ed. note), which is an alternative to surgical treatment when the patient is not indicated for surgery.
Source: Wprost
