Prompt action really does save lives

Dec 4 2008 by Margaret Shaw, Hamilton Advertiser

LUNG cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in Scotland and causes more deaths per year than any other cancer. Shockingly, a new person is diagnosed with this disease every 15 minutes. In total, that equates to more than 38,000 people being told they have lung cancer each year throughout the UK.

Indeed, last year in Scotland, more than 4000 people – over 400 in the Lanarkshire – died as a result of being diagnosed with this devastating disease.

One of the reasons lung cancer has poor survival rates is because all too often it is diagnosed at a late stage. Often its symptoms, at first, may seem innocuous and can be mistaken for a host of other illnesses.

This coupled with people often being reluctant to visit their GP means that medical attention is sought when the disease has progressed significantly.

In recent weeks Macmillan Cancer Support and The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation have been highlighting the importance of early diagnosis.

Last month Scotland manager George Burley backed the charities’ campaign and wrote to football clubs across Scotland, urging fans to look out for the early signs of this devastating disease. His message is appearing in match programmes and he is encouraging people to seek advice from their GP.

Symptoms can include a long-standing or persistent cough, recurring chest infections, unexplained new or changed breathlessness and a lack of energy. Some patients may lose weight dramatically, experience pain and, perhap, begin to cough up blood.

While smoking remains a major cause of lung cancer, approximately 10 per cent of cases are in people who have never smoked. It is a disease that anyone can get.

I work as one of a team of specialist nurses in the field of lung cancer and we support patients throughout every stage of their illness. We know that early diagnosis really does save lives and therefore it’s vital that people take any symptoms seriously.

You can learn more by visiting www.roycastle.org or www.macmillan.org.uk/lung or by calling The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Helpline on 0800 358 7200 or the Macmillan Cancerline on 0808 808 2020.

John McPhelim, lead lung cancer nurse specialist for NHS Lanarkshire.