World Lung Cancer Day 2022: Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in India. It is also the leading cause of Cancer mortality in India. Smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer. It is more common in males but the incidence in the female population is increasing. Lung cancer is curable if diagnosed early and treated appropriately. The factors which determine the outcome of the lung cancer patient include the subtype of cancer and the stage of the disease.
Stage 1 - Cancer is confined to one part of the lung and has not spread to any lymph nodes.
Stage 2- Cancer has spread to the nearby lymph nodes adjoining the area of lung involvement.
Stage 3- Cancer has spread to nodes slightly far away or in the middle of the chest.
Stage 4 - Cancer has spread to areas outside the lung or the patient has developed plural effusion
Lung Cancer Treatment
Treatment of lung cancer involves surgery radiation and oral/ intravenous medicines. Early-stage lung cancer like stages 1 and 2 may be treated by surgery. Stage 3 lung cancer is treated either with surgery or chemoradiation as per the findings in an individual patient. Stage 4 disease where cancer has spread inside and outside the lung, is also very treatable and potentially curable if the involvement is limited to one or two sites. Even in cases of disseminated stage 4 disease, where the disease has spread to multiple sites, the disease is highly controllable depending upon Tumor characteristics.
The cure rate of stage 1 can be up to 90%, it is about 70 to 80% in stage 2. The cure rate of stage 3 disease varies from 30 to 50%. In stage 4 disease the patient may undergo a molecular test to determine active mutations in the tumour and if found to be positive patient might be started on some oral pills. This may control the disease for many years. In stage 4 disease immunotherapy may also be a very valid option depending upon some test reports like Pdl1. Immunotherapy is devoid of classical side effects of chemotherapy. Immunotherapy activates patients' own immune cells to go and kill the cancer cells.
Cancer treatment has evolved during the past decades and lung cancer is the classical example of the same. From a disappointing one-year survival in early 2000 in stage 4 disease to multiple years with good quality of life now.
(This article is attributed to Dr Mohit Agarwal, Director and Unit Head, Medical Oncology, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh)
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of India TV)
