11/16/04
Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the most common form of cancer and the leading cancer killer in the United States. It is responsible for 28 percent of cancer deaths.

Lung cancer is increasing in this country, especially among women. More than 160,000 Americans are expected to die from lung cancer this year. Dr. Stephen Hazelrigg, professor and chair of cardiothoracic surgery at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, explains some of the causes of lung cancer.

SOUND BITE: “ . . .the most common cause, as most people are now aware, is smoking. There are some other factors that have been known to be causes of lung cancer, such as asbestos exposure. There's even radon gas, which is an odorless gas, which in some regions of the country exists has been shown to be related.”

Dr. Hazelrigg says many patients with lung cancer do not have recognizable symptoms until the cancer is in an advanced stage. But, the most common symptom of lung cancer is coughing, especially coughing up blood. Some people experience pain in the chest, weight loss, loss of energy or loss of appetite. He says early detection is the key to a good prognosis.

SOUND BITE: “ . . . early detection is very important because the chance that we can cure someone of lung cancer is very much dependent on how early we catch it. If we catch it early, where it is just a lesion in the lung, it has not spread through the lymphatics or anywhere else, the success rate is 70 or 80 percent with curing the patient. It's pretty good. The problem is that makes up a small percentage of the patients we see.”

Dr. Hazelrigg encourages people to stop smoking to lower their risk of lung cancer. If you or someone you know has a persistent cough and chest pain, a family doctor can provide you with a thorough exam or refer you for further testing.