November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month
11/15/2022
Use Your 20,000 Daily Breaths to Spread the Word
Most of us are used to breathing easily – on average, we take 20,000 breaths a day without giving it much thought.
But, for the 236,000 Americans living with lung cancer (the second most common type of cancer), inhaling and exhaling are constant challenges.
The disease is most common in people over the age of 65 who smoked tobacco (or were exposed to tobacco smoke, other carcinogens, or radon) for years.
“The most important thing to remember: Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer,” said Rammohan Marla, M.D., a thoracic surgeon with Northwest Healthcare’s Northwest Pulmonology in Tucson.
“Secondhand smoking is equally dangerous,” he added. “Many resources are available if you cannot quit smoking easily, so please talk to your primary care provider if you need help.”
However, lung cancer can also develop in younger people with no risk factors. And, because most people with lung cancer don’t have symptoms until the disease is advanced, screenings (or follow-up on a mass or lesion) is vital.
“Lung cancer care is changing dramatically with minimally invasive detection and treatments,” said Abhinav Mittal, M.D., an interventional pulmonologist who works at Northwest with Dr. Marla. “We are always here to help!”
See your doctor for a screening if you have any risk factors or any of the following symptoms:
- A new cough that doesn’t clear up on its own
- Cough up any amount of blood
- Feel like you can’t catch your breath
- Experience chest pain
- Are speaking in a hoarse voice
- Notice unexplained weight loss
- Feel pain in your bones
To make an appointment with a primary care provider or a pulmonary specialist, learn more about your lungs and how to treat them well, visit MyTucsonDoc.com.
Sources:
American Cancer Society
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