We can reduce the number of deaths from this disease, both in smokers and in nonsmokers, by talking about it, being aware of it and working together to take action. Here are six things you can do. Test your home for radon. Radon testing is incredibly important, especially with the high levels of radon that we see in Oregon, and particularly in the Portland metropolitan area, because of our geological composition.
The EPA estimates that one of every 15 homes in the U. In Multnomah County, it's closer to one in three; 32 percent of homes in Multnomah County, as well as 19 percent of homes in Clackamas County and 13 percent of homes in Washington County, have unsafe radon levels.
Check your county's statistics here. Testing is easy, and now is a good time to do it, before warmer weather has you opening windows and increasing the air circulation in your house. Inexpensive test kits are available at most home improvement stores. If your result comes back showing higher levels of radon, there are several companies in the Portland area that install fairly simple removal systems.
And spread the word among your friends and family members. Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke. The biggest impact we can make on reducing lung cancer is by eliminating tobacco use and tobacco exposure.
Make your home a no-smoking zone, and support indoor clean air acts and anti-smoking legislation. If there is a smoker in your household, there is no better motivator to quit than the health of your children. Take advantage of every resource to help a smoker quit for good. Make sure your kids don't become smokers. Nearly everyone addicted to tobacco today started the habit as a teenager.
If you can help the young people in your life resist smoking through their teen years, there is a strong likelihood that they will remain smoke free for life. Read this important article on how to keep kids from smoking.
Work to reduce pollution. In many cases, this is driving treatment choices. At Yale, all lung cancer patients—smokers, nonsmokers, and never-smokers—undergo genetic testing. If tumor profiling shows a particular gene has mutated or become abnormal, an oncologist may treat it with targeted therapies.
These are anti-cancer drugs that can kill specific cancer cells without harming normal cells. Some specific gene mutations that contribute to lung cancer have been identified in the past five to 10 years.
Young people and nonsmokers who get lung cancer often have a mutation in a gene called epidermal growth factor receptor EGFR , which can be treated after surgery with a targeted therapy in the form of an oral pill.
But medical treatment before or after surgery still depends on the stage and aggressiveness of the cancer, which is determined by a pathologist, says Dr. If a large tumor has spread to lymph nodes in the chest, the treatment might be a multimodality therapy, which combines surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy or immunotherapy. But clinical studies have shown that this treatment tends to work better in smokers than in nonsmokers, Dr.
Chiang says. This can be a difficult question, as there are no symptoms of lung cancer in its early stages, and it is still uncommon enough that routine screenings are not recommended for nonsmokers and never-smokers.
But family history is important, and people can talk to their doctors if they are concerned about a family history of lung cancer—if there is a first-degree relative or multiple family members who had the disease, or a family member who was diagnosed at a young age. Patients who seek treatment at the Yale Cancer Center at Smilow Cancer Hospital have access to new cancer therapies that are in development. Through clinical trials, patients may be able to benefit from groundbreaking treatment options not available elsewhere.
This is one of only three lung cancer-focused SPOREs funded by the National Cancer Institute to study non-small cell lung cancers, which include the adenocarcinoma that is common in nonsmokers.
The Yale Medicine program brings together experts in oncology, immunotherapy, pharmacology, molecular biology, pathology, epidemiology, and addiction science to attack lung cancer. Skip to Main Content.
Print Share Download. Symptoms of lung cancer are the same, whether or not you have smoked. Some people have general symptoms of not feeling well or feeling tired all the time. Some people cough frequently, cough up blood, or have chest pain, wheezing, or shortness of breath. These symptoms can happen with other illnesses. If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor, who can help find the cause. She shares her story in a podcast. You can help lower your risk of lung cancer by staying away from secondhand smoke, diesel exhaust, and other air pollution.
You should get your home tested for radon and take steps to lower the radon level if it is high. If lung cancer runs in your family, talk to your doctor about actions you can take stay healthy.
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