The current lung cancer situation is one of the most worrying health problems in Thailand. and has an effect on increasing the burden on health, society and economy, with a continuously increasing trend. Statistics in the past year 2020, there were approximately 23,713 lung cancer cases in Thailand and approximately 20,395 deaths. The second highest incidence and mortality rate in Thailand.
“lung cancer” that is not caused by “smoking”
Lungs are vital organs for life. Therefore, when cancer occurs, there is a high chance of death. In terms of risk factors, it is divided into external factors and internal factors. External factors are controllable factors such as Smoking and poisoning from second-hand or third-hand smoke which is the main cause of lung cancer This includes the environment, such as exposure to radon gas and other carcinogens such as asbestos, chromium and radiation.
However, there are internal factors that is the subject ofHeredity, which is caused by abnormal genes, causes cells in the lungs to continue to divide. until eventually turning into cancer
Genetic risk factors willIt is more common in Asian patients.who may not have external risk factors such as not smoking, etc.
Ms. Jitnipa Phakdi or Khun Oil, a stage IV lung cancer patient with EGFR, shared her experiences from diagnosis to present symptoms.
“Personally, I have a hereditary lung cancer with an abnormal EGFR gene. I was only 29 years old at the time of diagnosis and was in fairly good health. don’t drink or smoke And the family has no risk factors that can pass on to us cancer at all. before detecting cancer Oil has a chronic cough. But there was no mucus or a sore throat in any way. So careless and did not think that he would be anything too much.
“Until I started having chest tightness. more tired than usual and weight gradually decreased So agreed to see a doctor in the end. While waiting for the results of the test, the symptoms began to deteriorate accordingly. start to breathe abnormally And weighs down to more than 9 kilograms later when known that it is metastatic lung cancer. The EGFR mutant gene was therefore initiated immediately. with targeted medication By starting to take the drug for about 17 months from the fact that we have unusual symptoms, shortness of breath.
“After just one week of taking the targeted pills, the symptoms began to decrease markedly. The only side effect was a pimple-like rash on the face and body. And today we are able to live almost as normal as before the cancer. the way patients, families, and caregivers travel together Then focus and understand the disease that we have. Dealing with what’s going on will make it easier for us to travel with cancer.
“If we take good care of ourselves There may be new treatment approaches. Coming in the future gives us more chances to survive. Therefore, I want everyone to have hope for treatment always. Cancer seems to remind us to love ourselves and take care of those around us and come back to take better care of ourselves. Especially during covids, we should avoid meeting people. And protect yourself as best as we can because we are at risk of severe symptoms if infected with coronavirus. Exercise, relieve stress, drink lots of water, take care of yourself and take care of your physical and mental health as best as possible.”
Salilla Hongnakorn said as a caregiver of stage four ALK lung cancer patients.
“I personally take care of my mother with stage IV lung cancer. Detected around April 2017 by the mother who is already having a health check every year. Until one day, my mother began to feel uncomfortable, like her lungs were not full. and difficulty breathing It’s not much, but I feel that it’s abnormal. So go see a doctor at the hospital. and found that there was water in the lungs Then cancer cells are detected and after CT scan and biopsy. So I knew that my mother had stage four lung cancer. The type in which the ALK gene mutates
“As a caretaker At first it was a bit troubling as to how we could get through this. worry in every way But in the end, we must believe in current medical advances. Always support and take good care of your mother. But we cannot determine the mental state of the patient. Therefore, he learned that in addition to those around him, he had to encourage the patient. Patients must also send their willpower back to their caregivers. to create positive energy for each other I would like to say to the patients that they should not be discouraged. Because people must always have hope and encouragement for ourselves and our loved ones, then we will get through it. Just like today, mothers have returned to a normal life.”
What do you do when you find out you have lung cancer?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bussayamas Cheewasakulyong, Oncologist Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital said that the journey of lung cancer patients is divided into 4 main stages:
- Before cancer is detected, patients should observe their symptoms and risks. including prevention methods and screening guidelines
- when diagnosed with cancer How will we have a confirmation, such as what kind of cancer? how long Is there a biological indicator? This is the stage of diagnosis.
- Should study whether there is a guideline for treatment according to the type and stage, whether it is possible to have surgery, whether it is necessary to have radiation or not. Are biomarkers suitable for targeted drugs? to plan appropriate treatment guidelines for patients
- during the time the patient is being treated Some people treat it for months. But many people need treatment for years to years. Therefore, symptoms and side effects should be monitored. If early lung cancer Patients have the opportunity to be cured. But if it is locally advanced or metastatic cancer, it can be treated and monitored continuously.
The course of treatment for each patient is different. Some may heal smoothly because they have a good response to treatment. However, if patients are resistant to drugs, they may encounter obstacles along the way, and treatment regimens may need to be adjusted to increase efficiency and better treatment outcomes. throughout the patient’s journey A caregiver or relative should help encourage the patient and walk together. Help support them to make their journey more smoothly.
how to treat lung cancer
Asst. Prof. Dr. Naiyarat Prasongsuk, Oncologist Phramongkutklao Hospital said that the treatment guidelines for lung cancer depend on the type and stage of the cancer. The benefits of knowing what stage a patient has lung cancer are:
- We can know what the prognosis of the disease will be.
- What kind of treatment plan should we have?
- What will the aim be?
for example If the patient has stage 1-2 lung cancer, we can have surgery. Because the aim is to be cured. The third or more advanced phase is considered intermediate. Although it has not spread to other parts of the body, the cancer is a relatively large mass. Therefore, surgery may not be possible. In this case, chemotherapy or radiation may be required to allow the tumor to collapse and then surgery may be considered. If the patient has late third stage cancer If inoperable, it will be treated with chemotherapy along with radiation. The fourth stage Therefore, the treatment is to increase the survival time, reduce the recurrence, alleviate the pain caused by the disease and increase the quality of life.
Therefore, the aim of local or stage IV treatment is not a cure. Rather, it is a treatment to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. By choosing the right medication and treatment regimen, the patient will be healthy and lead a normal life.
during and after treatment Patients with lung cancer should continue to monitor and monitor their symptoms. with continued medication Diagnosis with computed tomography or CT scans regularly as recommended by the patient’s doctor. In addition, patients taking targeted medications should closely monitor symptoms and side effects. And always report the results to the doctor who owns the fever.
Patients with stage IV should be monitored every three months because the cancer may develop drug resistance. and may need to change the course of treatment in some cases During the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors recommend that lung cancer patients take extra care of themselves. due to the high risk of COVID Because it is a disease related to the lungs as well. Therefore, the risk of severe disease and death rate is higher than normal people.
Therefore, patients should observe symptoms. such as increased breathlessness or coughing or symptoms of the virus such as high fever, body aches, pain in the throat, sore throat, runny nose, no smell, tongue does not taste, which should see a doctor immediately. and get vaccinated for prevention as recommended by the owner of the fever doctor
Those interested can follow more information about lung cancer through these channels.
LungAneMe: Facebook LungAndMe Youtube LungAndMe LINE Official @LungAndMe Website www.LungAndMe.com Clubhouse @LungAndMe
Support groups for lung cancer patients and their caregivers: Discuss and exchange experiences about lung cancer in the Facebook group. The living room discusses lung cancer. (for patients and caregivers only)
Cancer Network Foundation: Thai Cancer Society Facebook : TCS website www.thaicancersocitey.com
Oncology Society of Neurology: Website: http://www.thethaicancer.com/index.html
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