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Lung Cancer Awareness Month 2007
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Last modified date:18 January 2008
Lung cancer is the biggest killing cancer in the UK. Every 15 minutes, a new person is diagnosed with the disease – that is around 40,000 fresh cases every year. Tragically, 80 percent of those people die within a year.
Earlier diagnosis could save thousands of lives say organisers of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which started on 1 November. The campaign is organised by the DH convened Lung Cancer Awareness Month Working Group, in association with the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and Macmillan Cancer Support. It aims to raise awareness among health professionals and the public about the symptoms of lung cancer, and importance of early diagnosis.
Smoking is the principle cause of lung cancer, although one in eight people with lung cancer have never smoked. Among the common symptoms are a persistent cough, recurring chest infections, coughing blood, breathlessness, neck and shoulder pain, tiredness and weight loss. Some people have the latter symptoms without any chest symptoms, which can make the disease difficult to diagnose.
Although mortality rates are high, lung cancer is not always a killer and early diagnosis really can save lives. The good news is that patients whose disease is detected in the early stages are 40 times more likely to survive. Giving up smoking also drastically reduces the risk of lung cancer.
This year’s campaign launch was held at Tottenham Hotspur football ground and was attended by Health Minister Ann Keen and football celebrity Gary Lineker. The stadium was chosen for the event because the crowd capacity at the grounds is close to the amount of people diagnosed each year in the UK with lung cancer.
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