Dr Mboyi shares her insights on Lung Cancer

May 31 2022, is World No Tobacco Day, and this year’s theme is “tobacco is killing us and our planet.” Rightly so as tobacco smoking is a known risk factor for a variety of cancers and only 15-20% of lung cancer patients have never smoked. Still, a general misconception about lung cancer is that it only affects smokers and those who used to smoke. Smoking is regarded as the only risk factor whilst there are others like pollution, asbestos, previous radiation therapy and chronic lung diseases. Another misconception is that only adults above the age of 65 are at risk.

Lung cancer begins in the lungs and may spread to lymph nodes or other organs in the body, such as the brain, bone, liver and adrenal glands. Cancer from other organs may also spread to the lungs a process called metastases.

Lung cancers are usually grouped into two main types called small cell and non-small cell, including adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. These types of lung cancer grow differently and are treated differently. Non-small cell lung cancer is more common than small cell lung cancer.

Passive smoking is also a risk factor. According to Globocan data 2020, it is more common in males, but recent estimates in 2022 have shown that it is slightly more common in females, especially young women between the ages of 30 to 49

If you have a persistent cough, haemoptysis or coloured sputum, chest pain, dyspnoea (shortness of breath), unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue and sometimes wheezing, it’s time to get a check-up.

Molecular testing has been regarded as the latest innovation to check for mutations in the lungs to help with the choice of treatment and also the use of blood testing (liquid biopsy). Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for early-stage lung cancer and it has a 5-year survival rate of 65%. The newer techniques are robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and video-assisted surgery.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy and proton beam therapy are now frequently used forms of radiation therapy. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have been accessible to patients.

If you want to reduce your risk of Lung cancer, stop smoking and avoid working in areas with exposure to radon, asbestos and air pollution.

Dr Ntomboxolo Mboyi has a BSc (UKZN), MBCHB (Medunsa), Fc Rad Onc (SA), and is a Postgraduate in Cancer Biology and Therapeutics: High Impact Cancer Research Program (Harvard Medical School). She is likewise an individual from the South African Oncology Consortium (SAOC), South African Society of Clinical and Radiation oncology (SASCRO), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) and a Chairperson of the leading body of CanSurvive (non-benefit association offering support to patients).