Every year, the world commemorates Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November to increase awareness on the disease.<\/p>\n
Lung cancer is the most diagnosed cancer worldwide. In Singapore, it\u00a0is the\u00a0second most commonly diagnosed cancer (15.1%)<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0third most commonly diagnosed cancer (7.6%)<\/strong>\u00a0among Singaporean men and women.\u00a0Lung cancer\u00a0has the\u00a0highest cancer mortality rate\u00a0(27.1%) among Singaporean men<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0second highest cancer mortality rate (16.5%) among Singaporean women<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Lung cancer can be divided into two major types based on the appearance of lung cancer cells under the microscope. Treatment decisions are based on the cancer cell type.<\/p>\n The two general types of lung cancer include:<\/p>\n A 2006 study by the National Cancer Centre Singapore found that 32 per cent of NSCLC patients were never-smokers who have never smoked a cigarette in their life. By 2018, this number had increased to 48 per cent in a span of 10 years.<\/p>\n The prognosis for NSCLC is better than SCLC.\u00a0The cure rate for stage 1 NSCLC is 70 to 80 per cent with surgery, while the cure rate for stage 1 SCLC is estimated to be about 25 to 30 per cent with surgery followed by concurrent chemotherapy or radiation therapy.<\/p>\n Risk factors for lung cancer include:<\/p>\n It is difficult to detect lung cancer as both SCLC and NSCLC have no symptoms in the early stages. About 70 per cent of lung cancer is detected at stages 3 or 4, while 30 per cent of cases are found in stages 1 or 2. One should see a doctor should there be any of the following symptoms:<\/p>\n Chest X-ray is often the first test to be performed, and sputum \u2013 commonly known as phlegm \u2013 may be sent for testing of cancer cells or infections. If the suspicion of cancer is high, or if the chest X-ray shows any abnormality, a CT scan will also be done to evaluate if there is any presence of lung cancer. If this scan shows a suspicious mass, a biopsy may be recommended, where a small specimen from this mass is then obtained for examination under a microscope to detect if cancer cells are present.<\/p>\n The decision to screen for lung cancer should be\u00a0individualised<\/u>. It is based on presence of high risk factors such as family history, smoking history, occupational exposures and age.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Annual low-dose CT screening for lung cancer can be considered for:<\/p>\nTypes of Lung Cancer<\/h3>\n
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\nSmall cell lung cancer, which makes up 10 to 15 per cent of all lung cancer cases, occurs almost exclusively in heavy smokers.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>Non-small cell lung cancer, which makes up 85 to 90 per cent of all lung cancer cases, is an umbrella term for several types of lung cancers. NSCLC include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nRisk Factors of Lung Cancer<\/h3>\n
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Symptoms of Lung Cancer<\/h3>\n
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Diagnosing Lung Cancer<\/h3>\n
Screening for Lung Cancer<\/h3>\n