A top lung health specialist has warned against dismissing a common winter health problem — as it could indicate underlying cancer.
Lung cancer is the UK’s biggest cancer killer, responsible for a fifth of the nation’s cancer deaths, according to Cancer Research UK.
While many associate a persistent cough with the disease, Dr MeiLan Han, Professor of pulmonary care at the University of Michigan, advises watching out for a lesser-known throat problem — a hoarse voice.
Writing in her book, Breathing Lessons: A Doctor’s Guide to Lung Health, she explained: ‘This is due to the cancer impinging on or invading the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which travels down into the chest cavity, under the arch of the aorta and back to the larynx [the voice box].
The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation also warns of this symptom.
‘In most instances, the problem will go away on its own after a short period,’ the charity states. ‘However, if you are experiencing longer episodes of hoarseness, you should contact your GP practice.’
The charity warns of other less common signs of the disease to watch out for, such as chest or shoulder pain, difficulty swallowing and even back pain.
According to the UK Lung Cancer Coalition, around 40 per cent of patients are only diagnosed when the disease becomes so severe they have to visit A&E — which usually means the cancer has spread.
Struggling with a hoarse voice for a long period of time could be a sign of underlying lung cancer, experts have warned
Once the disease is in other parts of the body, patients have only a 15 per cent chance of surviving for more than five years after their diagnosis.
Cancer Research UK figures show that just one in 10 of those told they have the disease will live out a decade.
Experts say this is precisely why spotting early signs is crucial. Patients who find lung cancer at early stages have a 65 per cent chance of living for five years.
The charity adds: ‘The type of cancer can also affect your survival. The type means which type of cell the cancer started from.
‘Your general health and fitness also affect survival. The fitter you are, the better you may be able to cope with your cancer and treatment.’
Other, more common signs of lung cancer include a persistent cough, feeling breathlessness and repeat chest infections.
Previous UK screening programmes have shown that early identification of the disease can dramatically improve survival of lung cancer.
In 2016, doctors from the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Papworth Hospital and the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital conducted a pioneering trial that involved performing X-rays on people at 2,000 people at high-risk of lung cancer.
Top lung cancer expert Dr MeiLan Han has previously warned about the ‘increased impact’ of the disease on women, compared to men.
The results of the study found that checking up on this group of patients increased survival rate by 73 per cent.
The study triggered action by the Conservative government, who pledged to introduce a national targeted lung screening programme in England, involving people aged 55-74 with a history of smoking.
According to Cancer Research UK, the rollout is still scheduled to go ahead, with the programme planning to reach 40 per cent of the eligible population by 2025 and achieve 100 per cent coverage by March 2030.
However, experts have raised some concern that the screening will not benefit younger people with the disease, numbers of which are rising.
Lung cancer in UK never-smokers doubled between 2008 and 2014, according to one 2017 study.
Another 2023 report by the American Cancer Society found more women between the ages of 35 and 54 are now diagnosed with lung cancer than men of the same age.
Meanwhile, lung cancer doctors in the US have reported an increasingly younger case load.
One theory for the increase in cases in the young relates to exposure to pollutants.
A recent Canadian study found that those who were exposed to high levels of pollution throughout their lives are more likely to develop genetic mutations known to raise the risk of aggressive lung cancers.
Commenting on their findings the authors, from The British Columbia Cancer Research Institute in Vancouver, said: ‘This suggests a potential impact of recent exposure to PM2.5 [pollutant particles] on lung cancer in people who never smoked, particularly among women.’
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