Every year, World Lung Cancer Day is observed on August 1 to raise awareness about the disease and the unhealthy lifestyle habits that one must need to change to stay safe.
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According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), here are five essential things to know about the disease.
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Causes
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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer, responsible for approximately 85% of all cases.
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Smoking tobacco is the primary cause of lung cancer. However, cancer can also affect non-smokers.
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Other risk factors include exposure to passive smoke, occupational hazards, air pollution, hereditary cancer syndromes and previous chronic lung diseases.
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Lung cancer is a type of cancer that starts when abnormal cells rapidly multiply and grow in an uncontrolled way in the lungs, causing severe harm.
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Symptoms
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Symptoms of lung cancer include a cough that does not go away, chest pain and continuous shortness of breath.
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Other severe symptoms may include coughing up blood, fatigue, weight loss with no known cause and recurring lung infections.
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Prevention
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Avoid smoking tobacco, staying around places with secondhand smoke, exposing yourself to air pollution and workplace hazards like chemicals and asbestos to reduce risks of being diagnosed with lung cancer.
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Diagnosis and treatment
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Early detection of lung cancer can lead to better treatments and outcomes. According to the WHO, some common treatments include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy based on the type of cancer.