Experts in this article: Wang Qian, Infectious Diseases Department of the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, attending physician
Reviewer for this article: Li Jiangtao, Deputy Chief Physician of the Third Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hebei Chest Hospital
When it comes to cancer, “advanced” is one of the last words we want to hear. Some cancers have obvious symptoms at an early stage, and many people can achieve early detection and early treatment. Lung cancer is often found at an advanced stage.
Lung cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the lungs, mainly from bronchial epithelial cells. Lung cancer is a common malignant tumor disease at home and abroad.
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According to GLOBOCAN estimates, there will be about 2.2 million new lung cancer cases worldwide in 2020, accounting for 11.4% of all malignant tumors, and about 1.8 million deaths, accounting for 18% of malignant tumor-related deaths. The incidence and deaths of lung cancer in China account for 37% and 39.8% of the world’s respectively.
my country is one of the countries with the highest incidence and mortality of lung cancer. The screening and prevention of lung cancer has always been a major challenge for the prevention and control of malignant tumors in my country. Why is lung cancer diagnosed at an advanced stage? What physical changes should you watch out for? See below for the answer.
Why is lung cancer difficult to detect at an early stage?
The discovery of lung cancer cases in my country has always been in the late clinical stage. From 2012 to 2014, the proportion of stage III-IV lung cancer in China was about 64.6%. Lung cancer is difficult to detect in the early stage, which has a lot to do with the occultation of early symptoms of lung cancer. Another reason is that low-dose spiral CT is still recommended for early screening of lung cancer, and the current CT penetration rate is relatively low.
The early symptoms of lung cancer are atypical and inconspicuous, and are often easily overlooked. However, if you pay close attention to your physical condition, you can still find some abnormalities.
coughing
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Most of the time, the cough is dry, no phlegm or little phlegm. There is no clear relationship between cough and body position, and there is no fixed time for coughing (most long-term smokers will cough and spit in the morning). If after the age of 40, dry cough often occurs, and the cause cannot be found, the cough is severe, you need to be alert to early lung cancer, and you should go to the hospital for examination as soon as possible.
Hemoptysis
The early symptoms of central lung cancer patients may be hemoptysis, or only bloody sputum. The symptoms of hemoptysis will continue as soon as they appear, and the effect of hemostasis alone is not ideal.
Fever
Patients with early stage lung cancer have less fever, but when the cancer tissue necroses, it may cause low fever, and antibiotic treatment is ineffective. When a low-grade fever persists, or if there is frequent inflammation in the lungs but no improvement after long-term treatment, you should seek medical attention in time to be alert to the occurrence of lung cancer.
Chest pain
If there is chest pain similar to a needle stick and there is no clear cause, it is likely to be a manifestation of lung cancer, and you need to be vigilant.
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In addition to the above pulmonary symptoms, lung cancer also has the following extrapulmonary manifestations:
Skin changes, a small number of early-stage lung cancer patients may experience skin itching, herpes zoster, and dermatomyositis.
Joint swelling and pain, mostly in large joints, mainly ankle and knee joints. The pain has nothing to do with climate change. A small number of patients may appear clubbing, and general drug treatment is ineffective.
For endocrine disorders, patients may experience muscle atrophy, muscle weakness, lower extremity edema or diabetes, etc. Male patients may also experience abnormal conditions such as testicular atrophy and breast enlargement.
Which group of people has a high incidence of lung cancer?
The risk factors for lung cancer include:
Smoking, secondhand smoke exposure
History of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of tuberculosis
Asbestos, chromium, silicon, soot, soot exposure
Family history of lung cancer in first-degree relatives
Combining the above high risk factors of lung cancer, it is concluded that the high risk groups of lung cancer are mainly:
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1. Smoking: The number of pack years of smoking is ≥ 30, including the number of pack years that have been smoked for ≥ 30 years, but the current smoking cessation time is less than 15 years;
2. Passive smoking: living with smokers or working in the same closed environment for ≥ 20 years;
3. Suffering from tuberculosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
4. History of occupational exposure (asbestos, chromium, silicon, soot, soot) for at least 1 year;
5. Parents, children and first-degree relatives of siblings diagnosed with lung cancer.
Early screening of the above-mentioned high-risk groups of lung cancer with low-dose spiral CT for early detection and early diagnosis can better improve prognosis and reduce lung cancer mortality. At the same time, it is recommended to carry out low-dose spiral CT examination for people over 50 years old to achieve the purpose of early screening of lung cancer.
How can lung cancer be prevented?
1. Carry out reasonable physical exercise: Research shows that exercise can reduce the risk of lung cancer by 25%. High-level exercise was associated with a 17% lower risk of lung cancer compared with low-level exercise.
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2. Ensure adequate sleep: Research shows that men who sleep less than 6.5 hours have a 112% increased risk of lung cancer. When the human body suffers from insomnia, our immune system cannot get effective rest and recovery. Over time, the immunity will get worse and worse, and cancer cells will have the opportunity to attack our body.
3. Eat enough fresh vegetables and fruits.
4. Quit smoking: Several studies have shown that the more smokers smoke, the higher the risk of lung cancer.
Early-stage lung cancer is not easy to find, so we need to pay more attention to our physical state. For people at high risk of lung cancer, regular physical examinations are required every year. Smokers need to do their best to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is to protect themselves and their families.