16 Surprising Cancer Symptoms Everyone Should Know
Twelve Lung Cancer Symptoms Found In People Who've Never Smoked In Their Life
Scientists have found that nonsmokers, who comprise approximately 20% of lung cancer deaths in the US, face distinct types of lung cancer driven by genetic mutations
One in five lung cancer deaths in the US every year are in people who never smoked (Image: Getty Images)
Lung cancer – which is often associated with smoking – can in fact pose a significant health hazard even to those who have never touched a cigarette in their life.
While smoking remains the primary cause, other risk factors include exposure to environmental pollutants such as radon gas, secondhand smoke, and occupational hazards. Data from the American Cancer Society showed that about 20% of lung cancer deaths in the US every year are in people who never smoked.
Nonsmokers, defined as individuals who either have never smoked or have smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime, are susceptible to different types of lung cancer compared to smokers, and scientists today have a better understanding of lung cancer in nonsmokers thanks to recent medical advancements.
READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Doctors told me I was being dramatic over symptoms - seven years later I got terrifying diagnosis
Nonsmokers are susceptible to different types of lung cancer compared to smokers (Image:
Getty Images/iStockphoto)According to scientists at Yale Medicine, it has been discovered that lung cancer in nonsmokers is usually caused by genetic mutations or abnormalities. Dr Anne Chiang, a thoracic medical oncologist at Yale Medicine, said: "We used to think all lung cancers were the same, but now we understand that there are different kinds."
Most nonsmokers may not exhibit early symptoms of lung cancer, hence it often goes undetected until it metastasises, scientists warn. However, some nonsmokers may show symptoms similar to those in smokers during the early stages of the disease. These symptoms include:
Differentiating between smoker and nonsmoker lung cancers is crucial for effective treatment. Scientists have developed personalized treatment options targeting specific molecular changes associated with nonsmoker lung cancer. For instance, nonsmokers are more likely to develop adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that tends to grow more slowly and manifests differently under medical imaging.
Differentiating between smoker and nonsmoker lung cancers is crucial for effective treatment (Image:
Getty Images)Dr Daniel Boffa, a thoracic surgeon at Yale Medicine, illustrates the distinction: "If you are a smoker, you can think of your lung as a bag of white marbles, and cancer is like putting a black marble in there. The type of cancer a nonsmoker gets is more like putting in black sand. Instead of a spot or a lump, it's more like a hazy area. It's more diffuse."
For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US
Advancements in genetic testing have revolutionized the treatment of nonsmoker lung cancer. Patients can now undergo testing to identify mutations, which enables doctors to prescribe targeted therapies. Although there are no standardized screening procedures for nonsmokers, it is crucial to be aware of family history and potential environmental exposures.
Early detection remains critical, scientists warn, and it often happens serendipitously during medical imaging for unrelated conditions. Treatment for nonsmoker lung cancer typically involves surgical removal of affected tissue, followed by targeted therapies or chemotherapy depending on the cancer's stage and aggressiveness.
The 12 Lung Cancer Symptoms Commonly Found In Patients Who Have Never Smoked
WE'RE all well aware of the perils of smoking, with cigarettes responsible for seven out of 10 cases of lung cancer.
If you've never puffed on a cigarette, your odds of sidestepping the disease are altogether much stronger.
1
Smoking cigarettes is one of the biggest drivers of lung cancer, but inhaling secondhand smoke can also put you at riskCredit: PABut it's still possible to develop lung cancer even if you've sworn off tobacco.
In fact, up to 14 per cent of people with lung cancer in the UK have never smoked, according to Cancer Research UK.
"To put this into perspective, if lung cancer in people who have never smoked was a separate disease, it would be the eighth most prevalent cause of cancer-related death," the charity warns.
In some ways, nonsmoker lung cancer might be considered a separate disease to smoking-related lung cancer, as it has unique molecular and biological characteristics and responds differently to treatment.
Sufferers might also be struck down by a different set of symptoms, according to oncologists at Yale Medicine.
Anne Chiang, a thoracic medical oncologist and chief network officer at Yale's Smilow Cancer Hospital, explained: "We used to think all lung cancers were the same, but now we understand that there are different kinds.
"The good news is that the types of lung cancer that nonsmokers tend to get are usually driven by a molecular change or mutation that can be detected in the tumour, and there are drugs and therapeutics available for them," she said.
Most nonsmokers are in fact diagnosed with a non-small cell type known as adenocarcinoma, which often starts in the outer areas of the lungs, in mucus-producing cells that line the small airways called bronchioles.
Most read in Health
FAT LOT OF GOOD
Myths, benefits and side effects like nausea of weight-loss jabs revealedSPECS FACTOR
From Simon Cowell's red glasses to 'game-changing' drug - how to zap migraines'LIVES AT RISK'
Mum blasts 'unvaccinated' after baby left fighting for life with measlesNEW FEARS
'Zombie deer disease' could 'pass to humans like mad cow' after death of menBy contrast, smokers tend to develop a type of non-small cell lung cancer squamous cell carcinoma, Yale oncologists said.
Thoracic surgeon says Daniel Boffa said adenocarcinoma has a different shape to other types of lung cancer.
"If you are a smoker, you can think of your lung as a bag of white marbles, and cancer is like putting a black marble in there," he explained.
Is vaping better than smoking?"The type of cancer a nonsmoker gets is more like putting in black sand. Instead of a spot or a lump, it's more like a hazy area. It's more diffuse."
If you haven't smoked, your lung cancer is also more likely to grow more slowly.
What are the symptoms of nonsmoker lung cancer?Most nonsmokers have no early signs of lung cancer, which means they're often not diagnosed until it has spread.
But some people do notice symptoms in the cancer's early stages, Yale oncologists said.
These are similar to the symptoms in smokers and may include the following:
Even if you've never picked up a cigarette in your life, a combination of other factors can still put you at risk of developing the disease.
For starters, passive smoking - breathing in other people's cigarette smoke - can slightly increase your risk, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.
Your age is another driver, as the cancer is more common in older people, with more than four in 10 people diagnosed with lung cancer being 75 and over.
Materials and substances you inhale while working can also increase your chances of developing lung cancer.
One such material is asbestos, a material that was previously used in the building industry.
People who have been in prolonged or close contact with asbestos have a higher risk of getting lung cancer, Macmillan said.
Heavy metals and diesel exhaust are two more cancer-causing agents that people could be exposed to at work, Yale oncologists added.
Then there's radon gas.
In certain parts of the UK, a natural gas called radon can pass from the soil into the foundations of buildings.
While exposure to high levels of radon isn't common, it can increase the risk of developing lung cancer, particularly in people who also smoke.
Finally, where you live can also up your risk, as research has shown that air pollution can be a driving factor behind lung cancer cases.
The risk is linked to air quality and how much pollution a person is exposed to, but for most people, the risk is very small, Macmillan noted.
It was announced last year that more than a million smokers and ex-smokers will be invited for NHS lung checks under an ambitious targeted lung cancer screening programme.
Those who will be called forward for checks include people who:
Nonsmokers risk of cancer might not be eligible for the screening programme, but you should speak to your GP if you have a family history of lung cancer.
It's also important to bring up concerns about exposure to secondhand smoke, radon, pollution or other known contributors.
You should see a GP if you experience any lung cancer symptoms.
How does smoking increase your risk of lung cancer?
SMOKING cigarettes is the single biggest risk factor for lung cancer.
It's responsible for more than seven out of 10 cases, according to the NHS.
Tobacco smoke contains more than 60 different toxic substances, which are known to be carcinogenic.
If you smoke more than 25 cigarettes a day, you are 25 times more likely to get lung cancer than someone who does not smoke.
Frequent exposure to other people's tobacco smoke - known as passive or secondhand smoking - can also increase your risk of developing lung cancer.
Aside from cigarettes, the following products can also put you at risk of the disease:
Source: NHS
Husband's Nagging Saved Wife's Life After She Was Diagnosed With Cough
Linda Sellar, 65, was sent for tests by her doctor after she also began to experience breathlessness and picked up infections. She was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
Linda Sellar - with daughter Claire and husband Kevin - suffered side effects of treatment for leukaemia including losing her hair twice (Image: Leukaemia UK)
A woman was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition after struggling to shake off a cough.
Linda Sellar was sent for tests after she started experiencing breathlessness and picked up infections. Following blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy she learned she had acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). After the diagnosis in 2019 Linda was terrified that she might die before she could enjoy her retirement. Every year almost 3,100 people in the UK are diagnosed with AML yet its survival rates are among the worst of any cancer type. Just 13.6% of people survive longer than five years after their diagnosis.
However after two rounds of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant using donor cells from her son, Jack, the former civil servant is now in remission. She now enjoys spending her time walking, skiing and travelling with her husband - and is urging anyone with similar symptoms to see their doctor.
Linda Sellar with her daughter Claire while she was in hospital (Image:
Leukaemia UK)Linda, now 65, told PlymouthLive: "I can now recognise that my breathlessness was a symptom and am so grateful that my husband insisted on my visit to the GP. I was also lucky that my GP was vigilant. I would urge anyone who has symptoms to visit their GP and insist on blood tests, even if the GP does not consider it necessary."
Linda struggled with the side effects of her treatment. She lost her hair twice, experienced fevers and a fungal lung infection. She is welcoming new funding announced by research charity Leukaemia UK which aims to minimise the impact of treatments like chemotherapy.
She said: "I would not be here today without the marvellous medical treatments available to cure my AML and the subsequent fungal lung infection. All this is available to people like me thanks to research and funding provided by Leukaemia UK."
Professor Terry Rabbitts, Professor of Molecular Immunology at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, is exploring a new approach to targeting AML cancer cells. Professor Rabbitts said: "Leukaemia is caused by mutations in the DNA of normal cells, causing them to become cancerous. Sometimes chromosomes break and are joined to other chromosomes. If this happens it can result in 'fusion proteins' these only occur in cancer cells, so they are specific targets for treatment. My team and I will explore a new approach to targeting fusion proteins by channelling antibodies inside cancer cells."
Linda Sellar is now regaining her strength after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in 2019 (Image:
Leukaemia UK)"We have already begun a new technology that will allow us to deploy antibodies inside cells. Our aim is to get them to bind with the fusion proteins inside cancer cells to destroy them. This new anti-cancer strategy will mean fewer side effects for AML patients and should ultimately also benefit other blood cancers and solid tumours."
Fiona Hazell, chief executive of Leukaemia UK, said: "Treatments for leukaemia, which have remained largely unchanged since the 1960's, are harsh and can cause terrible side effects like the ones Linda sadly experienced. We're delighted to announce Prof Rabbitts' new project, which, along with our other funded research projects, will help us to accelerate progress in leukaemia treatment and care."
"We want to offer people like Linda the hope of more effective and gentler treatments in the future. Breakthroughs happen all the time and we won't stop until we have found better, kinder treatments for all those affected." To find out more visit www.Leukaemiauk.Org.Uk
Comments
Post a Comment