New course underlines the importance of early detection of lung cancer

Nov 21 2014

In Japan, 40 percent of lung cancer cases are detected on early stages and treated with a high probability of remission; in the US 20 percent of cases have that possibility, while in Mexico, in the National Cancer Institute (INCan), only 1.2 percent of patients are diagnosed at an early stage.

As part of the celebration of the month of lung cancer, INCan and the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases (INER), organized a course dedicated to general practitioners and specialists where the importance of early detection of this health problem in Mexico will be emphasized, which is the leading cause of death by cancer in the world.

On the actions that the INCan does to address lung cancer in Mexico, Oscar Arrieta Rodriguez, coordinator of the Lung Cancer Clinic of the institution says that because the nature of the disease the diagnosis is a major problem, because a high percentage of patients consult a specialist when there's already a tumor, often at an advanced stage, and the chances for the patient are not encouraging.

"In Mexico we have about eight thousand a year, most likely under-diagnosed because many patients with this type of cancer die of other causes, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis. Another problem of late diagnosis is that the primary care physician is not familiar with cancer and losses valuable time; there are cases where since first contact until the patient reaches the specialist can take five to six months," says oncologist Arrieta Rodriguez.

Is important to highlight that the number one factor for developing lung cancer is smoking. In Europe and America, between 85 and 90 percent of cases are associated with smoking, while in Mexico it is 65 percent, although other factors interact such as genetics, environmental pollution, passive smoking or second-hand smoking and exposure to wood smoke.

Regarding this, Renata Baez Saldaña, head of the Clinical Oncological Pneumology Service at INER mentions that worldwide, 25 percent of patients with lung cancer have never smoked, and in Mexico is 30 percent; "67 percent of women with lung cancer do not smoke, indicating that other factors are at play as the exposure to asbestos and radon gas, which naturally ocurrs in the areas with volcanic rocks. There are also advanced studies in our country on hormone factors for developing lung cancer in women."

The pneumologist notes that in Mexico only five percent of patients arrive at a curative stage, that is, where they can be operated and have a better survival chance. "Theyoften come here after they have seen three or four doctors, and when the problem has already a considerable advance. According to the World Health Organization, over the next two decades the incidence of cancer will increase by 70 percent around the plnaet, based on mathematical models by the same institution," says Baez Saldaña.

However, Arrieta Rodriguez besides prevention, a low-dose CT scan of the chest or screening is an effective diagnostic method that reduces by 20 percent the mortality from lung cancer. "The method is not cheap but in the INCan we aspire to pioneer in its use in Latin America."

For the INCan specialist at an institutional level significant efforts are being made regarding in prevention but there's still a lot of work to do; "Regardless that the number of oncologists in the country is not enough, the participation of primary care physicians, epidemiologists, and family physicians is also required," he adds.

For both physicians, the way of dealing with the problem of late diagnosis is by providing the necessary information to the patient, but also to primary care physicians. Hence the importance of the event that was held in Mexico City on the 12 and 13 of November.

Over 300 general practitioners were involved, with the support of institutions such as "Breathing with value", "Just to help" and the Mexican Association Against Cancer.

Source:National Cancer Institute