4.4 The fight against lung cancer in the 21st century

• What is the second most common cancer in Britain?

  Lung cancer
• Which age group has the highest number of lung cancer cases?

  70−74 age group
• How many lung cancer cases were there from 2016 to 2018?

  Over 48,000 cases
• What percentage of lung cancer patients survive more than ten years?

  10%
• What percentage of lung cancer cases are preventable?

  The majority of cases
• What percentage of lung cancer sufferers are smokers or ex-smokers?

  85%
• What chemical can occasionally lead to lung cancer when inhaled?

  Radon gas
• How many cases of lung cancer were noted in the 19th century?

  Very few cases
• What percentage of all tumors were lung cancer in the 19th century?

  1%
• What was the percentage of lung cancer tumors by 1918?

  10%
• What was the percentage of lung cancer tumors by 1927?

  14%
• How did tobacco companies influence society's attitude towards smoking?

  By advertising aggressively
• What tactic did some advertisements use to promote smoking?

  Hired fake doctors
• What percentage of British men were regular smokers by 1950?

  80%
• What did the British Medical Council study prove?

  The link between smoking and lung cancer
• How many deaths were due to lung cancer in 1973?

  Almost 26,000 deaths
• What did the British government begin in the 21st century regarding lung cancer?

  The fight against lung cancer
• What does the NHS use for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of lung cancer?

  The latest technology
• What is a major challenge in diagnosing lung cancer?

  Symptoms can be mistaken for other conditions
• Why are cancerous tumors in the lungs hard to detect?

  They are hard to detect before large size
• Is there a national screening program for lung cancer?

  No, there is not
• What was used for lung cancer diagnosis before advances in technology?

  X-ray machine
• Why is using X-rays not effective for diagnosing lung cancer?

  They do not provide enough detail
• What is required for modern lung cancer diagnosis?

  A CT scan
• What does a doctor examine in an X-ray for lung cancer diagnosis?

  Signs of a tumor
• What is injected into a patient during a CT scan for lung cancer?

  Dye
• What happens if a CT scan shows signs of cancer?

  Two pathways are followed
• What is the first pathway if cancer is suspected after a CT scan?

  Perform a PET-CT scan
• What is injected into a patient before a PET-CT scan?

  A small amount of radiation
• What is the second pathway if cancer is suspected after a CT scan?

  Perform a bronchoscopy
• What is used to collect a biopsy during a bronchoscopy?

  A bronchoscope
• What can a doctor analyze after diagnosing cancer?

  How severe the cancer is
• How is cancer measured?

  In stages between 1 and 4
• What does Stage 1 cancer indicate?

  Small and in one area
• What does Stage 4 cancer indicate?

  Advanced cancer that has spread
• What are the steps in diagnosing lung cancer in the 21st century?

  1. Patient has a CT scan
  2. Dye is injected for clearer imaging
  3. If cancer is suspected:

  • Perform a PET-CT scan
  • Perform a bronchoscopy
• What is the goal of radiotherapy for lung cancer?

  To reduce the size of the tumor
• How can radiation be administered in radiotherapy?

  From outside the body or via catheter
• What can radiotherapy do for small tumors?

  Destroy them without surgery
• What does chemotherapy involve?

  Injecting drugs over multiple treatments