Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in the world, with about 2.21 million new cases recorded in 2020, according to latest report Especially the World Health Organization.
Lung cancer affects the airways and, in rare cases, the cells that line the alveoli, according to a report by the journal “the” French.
There are several types of lung cancer, but the most common is what is called non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC).NSCLC), which accounts for approximately 85% of cases.
Smoking is the first risk factor for lung cancer, as tobacco was the direct cause of lung cancer in 8 out of 10 cases.
The lungs are devoid of nerve cells, which allows the cancer to develop without painful symptoms for several months, but there are signs you should beware of, whether you are a safe smoker or not.
persistent cough
Coughing, especially at night, is among the possible symptoms, although most smokers tend to overlook it, as they think it is normal to cough at night or in the morning upon waking up.
difficulty swallowing
This symptom is called dysphagia, and it may appear as a minor inconvenience at first, but it may develop into an obstruction to the swallowing process, before it leads to the third hidden factor.
Anorexia
Sudden loss of appetite and weight loss, which comes immediately after the onset of dysphagia, where the patient loses several pounds of weight without changing his diet.
If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should speak to a doctor quickly.
Swelling of the eyelids and neck
These symptoms appear in the morning, due to compression of the superior vena cava, which is responsible for blood flow to the neck and head.
In lung cancer, lymph nodes can block the passage of blood, causing swelling of the eyelids and neck.
Constant fatigue
This symptom is present in many diseases and can be difficult to identify, but if you feel tired that does not go away despite rest, you should take it seriously, you may have lung cancer.
Scary numbers
Lung cancer caused the death of about 1.8 million people worldwide in 2020, according to Global Health Organizationwhich confirmed in its latest report that men are more affected by lung cancer than women, with about 1.2 million new cases diagnosed for men and about 1 million cases for women in 2020.
Lung cancer rates vary widely around the world, with some countries having higher rates of the disease than others.
Smoking is the main risk factor for lung cancer, accounting for about 80-90% of all lung cancer cases.
But early diagnosis facilitates the treatment of lung cancer, by expediting radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgeries, which help increase the chances of survival for affected people.
