Breathe easy: unmasking lung cancer myths and the promise of immunotherapy
Lung cancer takes almost 1.8 million lives worldwide, earning it the grim title of the world’s most common cancer.1 South Africa is firmly caught in its grasp as lung cancer ranks as one of the top five cancers.2 Almost 9000 people were newly diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020, and men are particularly vulnerable. 2 Of these newly diagnosed cases, over 6 000 were men.2 The disease is more common in older adults. Most people diagnosed with lung cancer are 65 or older. However, it can occur in younger individuals as well.3
Recognising lung cancer to respond early
Cancer is a silent attacker, often revealing no symptoms in its early stages4. Yet, understanding potential signs of lung cancer can arm us with the knowledge we need to fight back.
The main symptoms of lung cancer include4:
• Persistent or worsening cough
• Persistent breathlessness
• Coughing up bloody phlegm
• Shoulder ache or pain when breathing or coughing
• Repeated chest infections
• Loss of appetite
• Constant fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
Conditions like cardiovascular disease, allergies, COVID-19 and bronchitis, can have similar warning signs to lung cancer. 5 It’s important to find out what’s going on so you can get the right treatment.5 In South Africa, the outlook is bleak, as <10% of patients have potentially curable disease at presentation.6 Early detection is our greatest weapon, and for every 320 scans conducted, we have the potential to save one life from lung cancer. 6
What’s raising your odds for lung cancer?
Smoking is a leading risk factor and data shows that 33.4% of South African males and 8.3% of females above the age of 15 are smokers.6 Even exposure to second-hand smoke can increase your chances of lung cancer.7 If you’re a smoker, the thought of quitting might seem daunting, but there are resources available to help you. To get started on your smoke-free journey, visit CANSA’s website: https://cansa.org.za/how-to-quit-smoking-and-why/.
Other things to watch out for are radon gas exposure at home and breathing in hazardous chemicals at work like asbestos and exhaust smoke.7 If you are a lung cancer survivor or have a family history of lung cancer, you might also have a higher risk for lung cancer.7
Lung cancer is complex: unpacking NSCLC and SCLC
Lung cancer starts when some of the cells in the lungs start to grow out of control.3 The two main forms of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).3
Figure adapted from American Cancer Society (2023). ‘What Is Lung Cancer?’ Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/lung-cancer/about/what-is.html (Accessed: 07 June 2023).
Immunotherapy: a new hope for lung cancer
Upon diagnosis, your treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, or the revolutionary immunotherapy. 3 Immunotherapy empowers your immune system to recognise the cancer cells and attack them.3 Our immune system naturally releases T Cells, defenders against infections and diseases such as cancer.8 However, cancer cells can use pathways like the programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) to hide from these T Cells, allowing cancer to spread.8 The MSD immunotherapy medication blocks this PD-1 pathway, to prevent cancer cells from hiding.8
Expanding the battle lines with MSD’s immunotherapy
MSD has proudly introduced an immunotherapy medication that now covers 10 different types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer. 9 This broadening spectrum offers more treatment options and hope for cancer patients. Imagine this, before these advancements, only 10% of lung cancer patients would be alive after 5 years. Now, with immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy, 70% of these patients who underwent two years of treatment are still alive after five years.10
To learn more about lung cancer and understand your treatment options better, visit MSD’s dedicated lung cancer page at https://www.msd.co.za/oncology-nsclc/. With therapies like immunotherapy, we can now breathe easy, and face lung cancer head-on.
References
1. Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer. Available from: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/900-world-fact-sheets.pdf, accessed [07 June 2023].
2. Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer. Available from: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/710-south-africa-fact-sheets.pdf, accessed [07 June 2023].
3. What is lung cancer? (2023) American Cancer Society. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/lung-cancer/about/what-is.html, accessed [07 June 2023].
4. Symptoms -Lung cancer (2022) NHS choices. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lung-cancer/symptoms/, accessed [07 June 2023].
5. Benisek, A. (2023) Conditions that can seem like lung cancer, WebMD. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/conditions-that-can-seem-like-lung-cancer, accessed [07 June 2023].
6. Koegelenberg, C.F. et al. (2019) ‘Recommendations for lung cancer screening in Southern Africa’, Journal of Thoracic Disease, 11(9). doi:10.21037/jtd.2019.08.66.
7. What are the risk factors for lung cancer? (2022) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/risk_factors.htm, accessed [07 June 2023].
8. Saxena, P. et al. (2020) ‘Immunotherapy alone or in combination with chemotherapy as first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer’, Current Treatment Options in Oncology, 21(8). doi:10.1007/s11864-020-00768-2.
9. Approved professional information. (2022) MSD (Pty) Ltd. South Africa.
10. Reck, M. et al. (2021) ‘Five-year outcomes with Pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy for metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer with PD-L1 tumor proportion score ? 50%’, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 39(21). doi:10.1200/jco.21.00174.
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