Severity of Lung Cancer at a Young Stage
Many people comprehend that lung cancer is a disease that occurs mostly to the aged people. However, doctors and researchers have opined that lung cancer today is the most common disease occurring among the young generations resulting into deaths. According to Rizvi et al., (2015) 6.2% of people below the age of 40 suffered from lung cancer in 2014 in the United States. Lung adenocarcinoma is one of the most common forms of lung cancer that accounts for around 80% among youngsters. This study will shed light on the severity of lung cancer at a young stage, the main causes and preventive measures that must be undertaken to address the disease.
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer prevailing among men and women and is the most common cause of cancer death. People suffering from lung cancer die more than that of colon, prostate or breast cancers. According to the reports presented by the American Cancer Society 1,58,000 people suffering from lung cancer died in 2016. Most of the patients are diagnosed with lung cancer at an advanced stage when curative treatment is no longer an option. However, a screening for lung cancer can save thousands of lives (Moyer, 2014). The study presented by the Mayo Lung Project reflected that lung cancer at an early stage could be cured from screening with sputum cytology and chest X-ray. Thus, this study has been conducted to reflect the importance of detection of lung cancer at an early age. Without prior detection, lung cancers can lead to fatal deaths. As opined by the doctors that an initial detection of lung cancer is curable with effective treatment.
The aim of the study is to examine the lung cancer at an early age as it is increasing at a whooping rate among the males and females.
- To analyze the severity of lung cancer at an early age
- To understand the causes that results into lung cancer at an young age
- To examine the measures undertaken to prevent lung cancer
- To provide effective recommendations to cure the severity of lung cancer
The most common stigma associated with lung cancer is that it is a “smoker’s disease”. This stereotype is disturbing the doctors and the researchers as it restricts public awareness. The thoracic surgeon, Saied Khansarinia of Piedmont Atlanta Hospital opined that lung cancer does not only occur from smoking as the rate of non-smokers suffering from lung cancer is also increasing tremendously. The reason why non-smokers are diagnosed with lung cancer is inhaling radon that may damage the lungs. Radon, a radioactive harmful gas that erupts from uranium is responsible for 3% of deaths in the United Kingdom (Garon et al., 2015). Added to this, exposure to certain chemicals and pollution are major factors of developing lung cancers among non-smokers. The harmful chemicals and substances that lead to lung cancer are mostly arsenic, asbestos, cadmium, coke fumes, silica and nikel. These are the reasons why today people at young age are threatened with lung cancer.
Main Causes of Lung Cancer
According to Bendixen et al., (2016) other cancers like breast, prostate are given proper attention and have widespread campaigns as well as fundraising efforts, there is a lack of awareness in case of lung cancer despite its high death rates. Researchers of the “American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute” have found out that the rates of the lung cancer are higher in women and non-smokers. Doctors speculate that women suffer from lung cancer even after quitting smoking. Saied Khansarinia further opined that the screening methods are limited as compared to the rising rate of lung cancers at a young age. There is tremendous risk in exposing the patients to radiation from X-rays. Chest X-rays are not always a safe option to detect lung cancer as it may affect the health of the patients negatively (Awad et al., 2016). Thus, the study is important, as it will bring awareness on the severity of lung cancer and the treatments that are needed at an early age to cure it. The study will also provide a chance for the public health community to conduct more research on the genetic specific risks of lung cancer.
HO: It is not important to detect the lung cancer at an early age
H1: It is important to examine and detect the severity of lung cancer at an early age
Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer among both men and women, which results in high incidences of fatality. Lung cancers are caused mainly due to smoking or exposure to air pollutants and therefore can be prevented. However, lung cancer is occurs is difficult to cure as it spreads rapidly. Early detection of the disease might help in prevention of metastasis.
In order to detect lung cancer in individuals exhibiting the symptoms of the disease a primary data analysis was used. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were used (Neuman, 2013). The sample consists of 100 individuals showing the symptoms of lung cancer and aged below 40 years. The quantitative data analysis helped in determining the demographic characteristics of the sample such as age and gender. It also served to determine the prevalence of the different kinds of symptoms and the probable causes of the disease in each individual. The Qualitative data analysis helped in addressing the issues such as the individual’s knowledge and perception about the disease and how they want to proceed with the treatment procedure. Whether the patient prefers surgical procedure or chemotherapy or alternative medicine for the treatment of the disease is also analyzed using qualitative data analysis. A secondary data analysis is also conducted by studying all the available literature on lung cancer extensively, which helped the researcher to correlate the data collected regarding patient’s demographics, signs and symptoms and their treatment preferences with previously available information (JOHNSON & SYLVIA, 2018). This helps in early detection of the disease and ensures that the best treatment procedure is adopted.
The Importance of Detection of Lung Cancer at an Early Age
There are several types of research design namely; descriptive, explanatory and exploratory (Lewis, 2015). This particular research uses an explanatory research design; whereby the researcher is able correlate the various causes of lung cancer, its effect and treatment procedures with the early detection of the disease (Yin, 2017). An exploratory research approach helps the researcher to understand how the early detection of lung cancer can help to control its spreading to other parts of the body such as the brain and the spinal cord. The treatment procedures would therefore be framed in a way that would serve to keep the disease under control.
(Source: www.saxinstitute.org.au 2018)
Following sample selection, the individuals within the sample population are screened for the presence of the disease using several techniques. Among them the most important ones are low dose helical computed tomography, chest radiography and sputum cytology. As compared to the traditional chest radiography, low dose helical computed tomography can detect the smallest of nodules with a diameter of 2-3 mm. According to the National Cancer Institute, low dose helical computed tomography could reduce mortality resulting from lung cancer by 20% (www.saxinstitute.org.au, 2018). As per several reputed medical institutions, lung cancer screening tests cannot be performed on the public and needs to be performed only on high risk individuals. In addition, both chest X-Rays and low dose helical computed tomography might yield false positive results. Moreover, the chances of false positive results are much higher in case of lung cancer than in cases of other forms of carcinoma such involving the breast or colon.
After the screening tests are being performed, the individuals who need further assessment are chosen and finally a treatment procedure is framed for the individuals diagnosed with lung cancer. This early detection would help in spreading of the disease to other parts of the body through metastasis.
The data which was obtained using a explanatory research approach employing primary and secondary data collection was analyzed using several statistical tools and represented graphically. The collected data can be displayed using a box and whisker plot, a scatter diagram and stratification (Moradi, 2012). These tools help to represent the data in a way so that the relationship among them can be easily deduced. Data can be analyzed using correlation, regression, T-test, Z-Test, chi square test and ANOVA (Härdle & Simar, 2012). These techniques would help the researcher to determine the relationship of the early detection of lung cancer with the control of the disease. Additionally it would also help the researcher the frame the treatment procedure taking into consideration the patient’s medical history, demographics and their treatment preferences.
References
Awad, M. M., Oxnard, G. R., Jackman, D. M., Savukoski, D. O., Hall, D., Shivdasani, P., … & Christensen, J. (2016). MET exon 14 mutations in non–small-cell lung cancer are associated with advanced age and stage-dependent MET genomic amplification and c-Met overexpression. American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Bendixen, M., Jørgensen, O. D., Kronborg, C., Andersen, C., & Licht, P. B. (2016). Postoperative pain and quality of life after lobectomy via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery or anterolateral thoracotomy for early stage lung cancer: a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Oncology, 17(6), 836-844.
Garon, E. B., Rizvi, N. A., Hui, R., Leighl, N., Balmanoukian, A. S., Eder, J. P., … & Carcereny, E. (2015). Pembrolizumab for the treatment of non–small-cell lung cancer. New England Journal of Medicine, 372(21), 2018-2028.
Härdle, W., & Simar, L. (2012). Applied multivariate statistical analysis.
JOHNSON, E., & SYLVIA, M. L. (2018). Secondary Data Collection. Clinical Analytics and Data Management for the DNP, 61.
Lewis, S. (2015). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Health promotion practice, 16(4), 473-475.
Moradi, A. (2012, April). Statistical tools flavor side-channel collision attacks. In Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques (pp. 428-445). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
Moyer, V. A. (2014). Screening for lung cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Annals of internal medicine, 160(5), 330-338.
Neuman, W. L. (2013). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Pearson education.
Rizvi, N. A., Hellmann, M. D., Snyder, A., Kvistborg, P., Makarov, V., Havel, J. J., … & Miller, M. L. (2015). Mutational landscape determines sensitivity to PD-1 blockade in non–small cell lung cancer. Science, 348(6230), 124-128.
www.saxinstitute.org.au (2018). Retrieved from https://www.saxinstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/REPORT_Best-practice-in-early-assessment-and-diagnosis-of-lung-cancer-1.pdf
Yin, R. K. (2017). Case study research and applications: Design and methods. Sage publications.
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