case study - lung cancer

• • lung cancer is one of most common cancers in Britain
• • cigarette smoking is main cause of lung cancer
  • can be caused by passive smoking - inhaling smoke from others cigarettes
• • smoking incredibly common and not seen as dangerous until 20th century
  • smoking was allowed in surgeries and many medical professionals smoked
  • cigarattes provided as part of soldier's ration in WW2
• • lung cancer is difficult to diagnose in early stages
  • advanced lung cancer diagnosed with CT scans
  • so, government tried to educate and prevent disease
• the government tries to educate on lung cancer by:

  • anti smoking campaigns to warn on the dangers
  • advertising campaigns to show symptoms of lung cancer
  • cigarette adverts banned
  • laws passed to raise legal age of buying tobacco from 16-18
  • smoking banned in public places since early 21st century
• treatment:

  • radiotherapy - radiation attacks and kills cancer cells
  • chemotherapy - chemicals attacks and kills cancer cells
  • immunotherapy - boosting immune system to attack cancer cells
  • transplant - damaged lungs replaced with healthy lungs from organ donor