Prevention is

best bet in lung cancer battle

December 2, 2005

Spectrum\Nancy Murkowski

Despite all we, as a nation and as a state, have done to reverse a terrible trend, lung cancer continues to take its toll. It remains the top cancer killer in the United States and will likely kill more than 163,000 Americans by the end of this year. In Alaska, lung cancer is expected to afflict 220 people during this same period and take the lives of 210.

Unfortunately, lung cancer is among the most difficult cancers to detect in the early stages when treatment is most effective. Symptoms don't appear until the disease has advanced beyond our ability to cure it. That's why prevention is so crucial.

We know that tobacco use is related to 80 percent of lung cancer cases. By eliminating tobacco from our lives, the number of Americans who die from lung cancer would dramatically decrease. By reducing our exposure to secondhand smoke and making exercise and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables a part of our healthy lives - still more lives could be saved.

It is true that not all lung cancer is preventable. In fact, 13 percent of all cases occur in individuals who have never smoked.

We must all learn to recognize the symptoms of lung cancer. They include persistent cough (the most common symptom); constant chest pain; shortness of breath; recurring pneumonia or bronchitis; coughing up blood; unusual or unexplained fatigue; swelling and redness of the neck or face; or loss of appetite and loss of weight.

Talk with your doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. Know your family's cancer history and assess your own exposure to tobacco.

Education is critical in preventing lung cancer, but equally critical are the advances in early detection technology that we are beginning to see.

Spiral CT scans create three-dimensional images of lungs and have the capability to visualize growths too small to be seen by a traditional chest X-ray. Clinical trials are under way across the country to determine if screening high-risk people with spiral CT scans will help prolong life.

Another exciting development is a new test for molecular markers in sputum (genetic changes in cells) that may occur before cancer develops or when it is in its earliest stages. This advancement is currently being evaluated by researchers to determine its effectiveness as an early screening tool.

This research is exciting and holds much promise for the future. Still, the most effective weapon we have against this disease is already available to all of us right now. Live a tobacco-free and healthy lifestyle and teach your children about the dangers of tobacco.

If you would like additional information on lung cancer early detection and prevention - or about all cancer prevention, please contact the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation at 1-800-227-2732 or visit its Web site at www.preventcancer.org.

Nancy Murkowski is the first lady of Alaska and is a member of Congressional Families Action for Cancer Awareness, a program of the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation.