More Filipinos Dying of Lung Cancer

By Henrylito D. Tacio - June 1, 2017

What do singer Nat King Cole, actor Steve McQueen, Beach Boys member Carl Wilson, New
York Yankees Roger Maris, reporter Edward R. Murrow and King George VI have one thing in
common?

They all died of lung cancer.

In the Philippines, one of the disease’s popular victims was broadcast journalist Angelo Castro
Jr. The main man of The World Tonight was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008 and given
three months to live.

But with his and his family’s faith in God, determination and the loving support of family and
friends, he lived beyond three months. After taking a hiatus for over two years, he returned to
work in 2011. A day after Christmas, he said on air: “Move on. It is just a chapter in the past,
but don’t close the book—just turn the page.”

Although lung cancer strikes mostly men, women are not spared from it. Among those who died
of lung cancer were modeling pioneer Wilhelmina Cooper, Hollywood actress Betty Grable and
Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. In the Philippines, lung cancer is the third leading cause of
cancer among women—after breast and cervical.

Unknowingly, more and more Filipinos are now dying of lung cancer. According to the
Philippine Society of Medical Oncology, lung cancer leads among the top 5 cancers leading to
death in the country. Out of 100,000 Filipinas diagnosed with lung cancer, 2,500 of them die.

Among men, lung cancer ranks as the number one cause of cancer among Filipino men, the
Philippine Cancer Society, Inc. claims. “Lung cancer is killing more Filipino men than ever
before,” the society deplored. Every year almost 2 million people around the world are diagnosed
with the disease. “Only about 250,000 of them will remain alive, five years later,” claimed Dr.
Ted Hamilton, medical director of Florida Hospital Central Care in Orlando.

Like most cancers, no one really knows what causes lung cancer. But several studies cited
smoking as the primary culprit. In fact, smoking has been identified as a contributory factor in
eight to nine out of 10 cases of diagnosed lung cancer. Before the advent of cigarette smoking
lung cancer was uncommon. In fact, it was not even recognized as a distinct disease until 1761.

“Cigarette smoking is the cause of about 90 percent of lung cancer cases in men and about 80
percent of cases in women,” The Merck Manual of Medical Information pointed out. The
greater the quantity and duration of smoking a person undergoes, the greater his or her risk of
developing lung cancer.
The Geneva-based World Health Organization, the UN health agency, agreed: “Seventy-one
percent of lung cancer deaths are caused by tobacco smoking.”

“Three out of 10 Filipino adults smoke, and this translates to more than 17 million Filipinos
whose risk to develop lung cancer and many other smoking-related diseases is significantly
increased,” Castillo said.

Even those who don’t smoke are also at risk of getting lung cancer—especially if they are living
with someone who smokes. Experts call this as second-hand smoke or passive smoking. It is
estimated that 17 percent of cases of lung cancer in nonsmokers are caused by second-hand
smoke exposure in childhood and adolescence.

“Nonsmoking spouses of smokers are 30 percent more likely than spouses of non smokers to get
lung cancer,” explained Drs. Christopher Dolin sky and Christine Hill-Kayser of the University
of Pennsylvania Medical School.

Not all cases of lung cancer, however, are due to smoking. A small proportion of lung cancers
(about 10 percent in men and about 5 percent in women) are caused by substances encountered
or breathed in at work.

“Working with asbestos, radiation, arsenic, chromates, nickel, chloromethyl ethers, mustard gas
and coke-oven emissions has been linked with lung cancer,” the Merck manual informed. “The
risk of contracting lung cancer is greater in people who are exposed to these substances and who
also smoke cigarettes.”

The Merck Manual also mentioned that about 1 percent of lung cancer cases are caused by air
pollution. Long-term exposure to the air pollution in some of America’s biggest metropolitan
areas significantly raises the risk of dying from lung cancer and is about as dangerous as living
with a smoker, according to the researchers from Brigham Young University and New York
University.

Studies of the American Cancer Society also cohort directly link the exposure to particulate
matter with lung cancer. For example, if the concentration of particles in the air increases by only
one percent, the risk of developing a lung cancer increases by 14 percent.

The lungs are two spongy organs found in the chest. They are responsible for delivering oxygen
to the bloodstream. When a person breathes in, air moves into the lungs, thereby causing the
lungs to expand.

“Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that start off in one or both lungs;
usually in the cells that line the air passages,” explained Peter Crosta in article he wrote for
Medical News Today. “The abnormal cells do not develop into healthy lung tissue; they divide
rapidly and form tumors. As tumors become larger and more numerous, they undermine the
lung’s ability to provide the bloodstream with oxygen.”

“Most lung cancer originates in the cells of the lungs; however, cancer may also spread
(metastasize) to the lung from other parts of the body,” explained Dr. Gary Sy in his column
published in a national daily.

Metastatic cancers, according to the Merck manual, spread to the lungs most commonly from the
breast, colon, prostate, kidney, thyroid gland, stomach, cervix, rectum, testis, bone and skin
(melanoma).

Glenn Orion, former associate editor of Health and Lifestyle who attended the European Society
for Medical Oncology Congress in Vienna, said there are two main types of lung cancer: small
cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

“SCLC comprises about 14 percent of lung cancers,” Orion wrote. “It is almost always caused
by smoking, and is generally aggressive—spreading quickly at an early stage; hence, the poor
prognosis.”

On the other hand, “NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, found in about 85 percent
of lung cancers,” Orion added. “Histologically, it may be identified as adenocarcinoma,
squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma or NSCLC with unspecified histology.”

Treatment for lung cancer can also be very prohibitive. Chemotherapy, sometimes coupled with
radiation therapy, is the treatment of choice. This is because the cancer has almost always spread
to distant parts of the body by the time of diagnosis. In about 25 percent of people, chemotherapy
prolongs survival.

Chemotherapy alone may cost P50,000 to P120,000 per month. This figure does not include the
medicines, which may cost as much as P100,000 or more a month.

“Lung cancer has a poor prognosis,” the Merck Manual pointed out. “On average, people with
untreated lung cancer survive eight months. Overall, even with therapy, the 5-year survival rate
is only 13 percent.”

However, lung cancer can be prevented. “Cancers that are closely linked to certain behaviors are
the easiest to prevent,” Crosta pointed out. “For example, choosing not to smoke tobacco or
drink alcohol significantly lowers the risk of several types of cancer—most notably lung, throat,
mouth and liver cancer. Even if you are a current tobacco user, quitting can still greatly reduce
your chances of getting cancer.”

Indeed, the most important preventive measure you can take to avoid lung cancer is to quit
smoking. “Quitting smoking will also reduce your risk of several other types of cancer, including
esophagus, pancreas, larynx and bladder cancer,” Crosta added. “If you quit smoking, you will
usually reap additional benefits such as lower blood pressure, enhanced blood circulation and
increased lung capacity.”

Internet Reference:

https://businessmirror.com.ph/more-filipinos-dying-of-lung-cancer/
 SUMMARY
Lung cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the lungs. Your lungs are two spongy organs in
your chest that take in oxygen when you inhale and release carbon dioxide when you exhale.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, among both men and
women. Lung cancer claims more lives each year than do colon, prostate, ovarian and breast
cancers combined.

People who smoke have the greatest risk of lung cancer, though lung cancer can also occur in
people who have never smoked. The risk of lung cancer increases with the length of time and
number of cigarettes you've smoked. If you quit smoking, even after smoking for many years,
you can significantly reduce your chances of developing lung cancer.

In the Philippines one of the victims of lung cancer is Miriam Defensor- Santiago she was
diagnosed with cancer despite having a healthy lifestyle wherein it was attributed her illness to
“genetic mutation.”

Here are the common symptoms of lung cancer: shortness of breath, coughing and intermittent
wheezing that does not go away, coughing up blood, chest pain, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite,
and weight loss.

In the late stages of lung cancer, the following may be observed: bone pain or tenderness, eyelid
drooping, facial paralysis, hoarseness or changing voice, pain at joints, nail problems, shoulder
pain, swallowing difficulty, swelling of the face or arms, and weakness.

Any individual can potentially develop lung cancer. However, because of their lifestyle choices,
environmental exposures, and family history, certain groups of people can be considered high
risk for lung cancer.

An estimated 90 percent of lung cancers are linked to cigarette smoking, making smoking the
number one or leading cause of lung cancer.

Current smokers or those who have smoked in the past are 10 to 20 times more likely to develop
lung cancer. Second-hand smoke also can cause lung cancer.

Second-hand smoke is a mix of smoke from a lit cigarette, pipe or cigar, plus smoke blown into
the air by the person smoking. How harmful is second-hand smoke? Second-hand smoke is
poisonous. It has over 4000 chemicals, including 50 that can cause cancer. People who do not
smoke will suffer from the effects of breathing second-hand smoke right away. In as little as 8 to
20 minutes physical reactions can occur that are linked to heart disease and stroke. These
reactions include increased heart rate, less oxygen to the heart, and constricted blood vessels that
increase blood pressure and make the heart work harder.

Lung cancers are broadly classified into two types: small cell lung cancers (SCLC) and non-
small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). This classification is based upon the microscopic appearance
of the tumor cells. These two types of cancers grow, spread, and are treated in different ways, so
making a distinction between these two types is important. SCLC comprises about 10%-15% of
lung cancers. This type of lung cancer is the most aggressive and rapidly growing of all the
types. SCLC is strongly related to cigarette smoking. SCLCs metastasize rapidly to many sites
within the body and are most often discovered after they have spread extensively. NSCLC is the
most common lung cancer, accounting for about 85% of all cases. NSCLC has three main types
designated by the type of cells found in the tumor.

According to GMA News, treatment often availed by people who can afford instant treatment is
oral chemotherapy.

Philippine Society of Medical Oncology Dr. Jorge Ignacio says oral chemotherapy, which has
been long available in the country, is considered three times more effective than conventional
chemotherapy. However, the pill doesn’t come cheap, and can set you back at P90,000 to
P120,000 a month

Choosing the treatment that is right for the people who have a lung cancer may be hard. What
they need is t talk to their cancer doctor about the treatment options available for their type and
stage of cancer. The doctor can explain the risks and benefits of each treatment and their side
effects. Side effects are how your body reacts to drugs or other treatments.

Sometimes people get an opinion from more than one cancer doctor. This is called a “second
opinion.” Getting a second opinion may help you choose the treatment that is right for you.

According to Peter Crosta the best way to prevent lung cancer is to quit smoking and drinking
alcolhol will reduce your risk of several other types of cancer, including esophagus, pancreas,
larynx and bladder cancer.

And let us remember these four (4) smart habits that can prevent lung cancer by Alison Martin:
don’t start smoking – and stop if you do, avoid secondhand smoke areas, eat right and exercise
regularly, surely these habits will help lower your risk for lung cancer.
 REFLECTION

The struggle after diagnosed of having a lung cancer is a situation of both patients and

their relatives experience existential burden. Having lung cancer couldn’t stop the feeling of

being frustrated but to be understand instead. And here are the following ways in order to

overcome the feeling of hopeless wherein we thought that there is no way to make things

possible. First, a life decisions after a life-changing diagnosis, we need to learn that only God

knows when our life will draw to a close, so we must take each day as it comes and be judicious

about our finances. Next, take each day as it comes, so continue your life without fear, with

confidence, and faith in God instead. Lastly, a time for introspection, never really ask this

question “why me?” instead go through a period of serious introspection that will result in the

conclusion “why not me?” You need to understand that some of us find our purpose late in life.

Let us realize that sometimes it takes a lifetime of preparation to fulfill the mission God

has put before us. We should thank God for our disease, not because we are being in pain and

hardship times but for the opportunities to help others, and that is to be an inspiration for them to

stay positive, to be brave enough and always hope for the future that while we have still life,

there is still hope to continue moving because things will get better as long as we believe in the

power of our Almighty God.