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  • Thursday, April, 2024| Today's Market | Current Time: 07:39:22
  • 31-year-old, young smoker was presented at Sakra World Hospital with only 5 days of dry cough. He had been a chain smoker, almost fuming 2 packets of cigarettes per day. He was initially given a course of antibiotics and cough syrup for the next few days. However, the cough persisted. Under the guidance of Dr. Sachin Kumar, Senior Consultant and Head, Dept of Pulmonology, Sakra World Hospital a chest x-ray was taken, which showed a large lung mass. Later, it was confirmed on CT scan to be a large tumor and biopsy results confirmed it to be high-grade lung cancer and it was already spreading to the other side meaning advanced last stage cancer. The patient was surprised that without any major symptoms, he was harbouring the lung cancer.
    Quote:
    “80% of lung cancer typically present late in stage 3 or 4 as there are often no warning symptoms shown. Hence, those who smoke are always at a higher risk of developing these cancers and sometimes the first presentation is itself a lung cancer. Recently, we are seeing many young people also presenting with lung cancer which is increasing at an alarming rate.”
    Case Study (BR Life SSNMC Hospital): 
    Reasons why Lung Cancer is turning into an epidemic in India
     

    A 38-year-old patient visited BR Life SSNMC hospital with complaints of pain in left side chest and double vision. During the process of understanding his case history, the patient revealed that he is a chain smoker and has been feeling bouts of chest pain since few months. Initially, he had consulted a doctor elsewhere for chest pain & was asked to undergo ECG and ECHO and had ruled out cardiac problems. He was treated for gastric issues. Post his treatment, after 8 months, the patient complained about repeated chest pain and double vision. He met Dr. Rajashekhar C Jaka, Surgical Oncologist at BR Life SSNMC Hospital. To understand and evaluate his condition better, Dr. Jaka asked him to undergo MRI brain scan. The scan results revealed a tumor in his brain and further tests showed lung cancer. Since lung cancer was not treated at the right time, it had spread to his brain. As an immediate action, Dr. Jaka started radiotherapy and other treatment which helped in the control of the growth of tumor. In this case his continuous smoking habit led to lung cancer and the delay in diagnosis had resulted in spreading of the tumor to other parts of the body.

    Quote from Dr. Rajshekhar C Jaka, Surgical Oncologist, BR Life SSNMC Hospital
    “Lung cancer spreads very fast and it is difficult to understand the symptoms of the same. When upper lung tumors compress nerves and arteries, the patient can present with pain or weakness in the arm or change in voice. When it involves covering of lung (pleura), they present with chest pain. Left side chest pain is not always related to heart or gastritis. It is important for people to take necessary steps when they get these symptoms as it could lead to severe health issues. Lung cancer in India is high-mortality cancer due to late stage diagnosis. This has resulted in treating and curing only 15 percent of cases of lung cancer at the time of diagnosis.”

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