World lung cancer day is observed on the 1st of August every year. The main reason behind the commemoration of this day is to raise awareness across the world about the impact of this type of cancer.
Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the world and it is very important to raise awareness about this particular disease in order to mark prevention against it. According to WHO (World Health Organization), 25 percent of deaths because of cancer each year comprise lung cancer across the globe.
Let’s have a look at how the commemoration of this day started.
History of World Lung Cancer Day
World Lung Cancer Day was observed for the first time back in 2012 by the forum of International Respiratory Societies, the American College of Chest Physicians, and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).
The main idea behind observing this day was to bring focus on how this kind of cancer spreads faster than any on the kind and the suffering a patient has to go through while being treated as well as the success story of patients who successfully defeated this disease.
The day was marked to educate the public about the possible causes that can lead to lung cancer and how to prevent them.
Lung cancer significance
Lung cancer is one of the most lethal kinds of cancer where the survival chances are very low as compared to other types of cancer. The most important way to avoid contracting this disease is to follow a healthy lifestyle.
This disease is still curable if a person gets it at a young age because of a higher immunity level but the spread is so fast that by the time it is diagnosed, not much can be done and the person leads to a slow, painful death.
The best way to avoid this disease is – prevention.
There are two main types of lung cancer:
- Small cell lung cancers (SCLC)
- Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC)
Symptoms of lung cancer
The early and most common symptoms of lung cancer are:
- When a person has contracted lung cancer, he will experience throbbing pain in his ribs and chest area.
- He will start to lose his appetite
- The person will start to feel fatigued and lethargic all the time
- The most common symptom of lung cancer is coughing and that can be of any type like chronic, with blood or phlegm or dry,
- A person will contract respiratory infections more easily if he is suffering from lung cancer
- A person will suffer from shortness of breath
- Other common symptoms of lung cancer are hoarseness, loss of weight, swelling of the lymph nodes, and weakness.
Lung cancer treatment
The treatment of lung cancer largely depends on what stage it has been diagnosed. And how far the disease has damaged the organs of the human body such as the lymph and the nodes, blood vessels, and of course the lungs.
The treatment of lungs comprises 4 types:
- Surgery
- Targeted therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
The medical professionals will determine at what stage the cancer is at the moment and out of the four ways of treatment available, which one would be the most suitable. One according to the condition of the body. The person might not be fit to take the chemotherapy or the radiation therapy or in some severe cases, nothing else can work but surgery of the lung and other organs of the body to stop the spread of cancer cells all over the body.
How to prevent lung cancer?
As mentioned above, the foremost way to prevent lung cancer is by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But anyone who is educated would know that one of the main reasons why a person gets lung cancer is smoking. Smoking is injurious to health and kills a person slowly by decaying the lungs.
Here are some ways by which lung cancer can be prevented:
- Don’t smoke and if you are a smoker and have got awareness now, quit smoking immediately
- Smoking in any way is injurious to health, avoid second-hand smoking as that can cause lung cancer too.
- Avoid the company and gathering of smokers
- Always maintain a healthy lifestyle and a healthy diet
- Take fruits and vegetables which would increase your immunity
- Make exercise a vital part of your daily routine
- Exercise on a daily basis
- Avoid exposure to any kind of toxic materials and chemicals
How is world lung cancer day celebrated?
World lung cancer day is celebrated across the globe. Mainly the volunteers for both government and non-government organizations and other kinds of social groups gather together and arrange events across the world to spread awareness about this disease.
The main aim of spreading awareness is that people should get themselves checked on a regular basis so that this cancer can be detected earlier than the symptoms start to show. A timely diagnosis with the help of regular cancer screening will help the patient to cure as he can receive the right treatment at the right time when the cancer is still at a curable stage.
Conclusion
The world is already suffering and lethal diseases keep on sprouting at regular intervals such as Coronavirus. The least we can do is spread awareness among the masses that you adopt a healthy lifestyle so that they can combat these fatal diseases.
Lung cancer still remains one of the top kinds of cancer that is contracted by people across the world and this can only be minimized with awareness. This World Lung Cancer Day let’s spread the knowledge and information and take an oath to make sure the world will become cancer-free someday.