VM Medical Park Ankara Hospital Chest Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Ergün Tozkoparan made an evaluation about lung cancer. Pointing out that lung cancer is the type of cancer that causes the most deaths in the world, Prof. Dr. Ergün Tozkoparan said, “Lung cancer causes more deaths than colon (large intestine) and prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women. "Approximately every 30 seconds, someone dies from lung cancer," he said.
Underlining that the most important risk factor for lung cancer is active smoking, VM Medical Park Ankara Hospital Chest Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Ergün Tozkoparan said, “According to WHO (World Health Organization), 2020 million new lung cancers were diagnosed in the world in 2,2. “Lung cancer is three times more deadly than prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women.” He made a statement.
Noting that smoking is responsible for 90 percent of all lung cancers, Prof. Dr. Ergün Tozkoparan said, "Other risk factors include passive smoking, exposure to environmental toxic substances (asbestos, radon gas, etc.), air pollution, familial cancer syndromes and previous chronic lung diseases."
Symptoms of lung cancer
Stating that many types of lung cancer do not cause very noticeable symptoms until the disease progresses, Prof. Dr. Ergün Tozkoparan listed the most common symptoms as follows:
- Cough (especially persistent coughs that persist for more than a month),
- Expectoration (change in the quality, amount, color and consistency of phlegm, especially due to chronic smoking),
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath,
- bloody sputum,
- Tiredness,
- Unexplained weight loss,
- Frequent recurrent lung infections.
Prof. Dr. Ergün Tozkoparan stated that the most important precaution to be taken to protect against lung cancer is not to smoke and, if so, to quit smoking, and said, "15 years after quitting smoking, the risk of developing lung cancer decreases to the same level as those who have never smoked."
Stating that the pack-year concept was developed to determine smoking intensity, Prof. Dr. Tozkoparan said:
“The average number of cigarette packs smoked per day is multiplied by the total number of years smoked. For example, if a person smokes 20 packs of cigarettes a day for 2 years, his smoking intensity is 40 pack-years. For someone who has been drinking half a pack a day for thirty years, that is 15 pack-years. The risk of developing lung cancer increases significantly after 20 pack-years of smoking. It is also necessary to avoid second-hand smoke, environmental carcinogens (asbestos and other certain chemicals) and air pollution.”
Imaging methods play vital role
For diagnosis, first of all, imaging methods such as chest x-ray and chest computed tomography are used; Prof. stated that MRI and PET examinations should also be performed in necessary cases. Dr. Tozkoparan said, “If a suspicious finding for lung cancer is detected in imaging methods, a biopsy is planned to confirm the diagnosis of cancer, determine its subtype and, if necessary, perform genetic tests on the cancer tissue that will shed light on the treatment. Biopsy is usually performed by lung endoscopy, also called bronchoscopy, or by using a needle through the chest wall to reach the lung under tomography guidance. "In addition, the imaging method called PET-CT is used in the staging of lung cancer and EBUS (endobronchial ultrasonography) methods are also used in both diagnosis and staging."
Prof. Dr. Ergün Tozkoparan listed the methods used in the treatment of lung cancer as follows:
- Surgical treatment,
- Radiotherapy,
- Chemotherapy,
- Targeted therapy (smart drugs),
- Immunotherapy
Prof. stated that surgical treatment is generally used in cases that have not spread to the chest cavity and other parts of the body in the early stages and that it is the most satisfactory treatment. Dr. Tozkoparan said, “While surgical treatment alone is sufficient in early stage cases, in some cases chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy can be applied before or after surgical treatment. In advanced stage disease, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are usually applied. In lung cancer cases with significant gene mutations in genetic studies, targeted therapy that affects only mutant cancer cells, or, as the public say, smart drugs, can be used. He concluded his words by saying, "Immunotherapy is mostly used in metastatic lung cancers and aims to attack tumor cells by stimulating the immune system."
