Why is the fight against lung cancer of great importance?
Lung cancer and chronic respiratory diseases (CHD) lead to the premature death of millions of people every year, placing a huge burden on healthcare systems and the economy. It is estimated that lung cancer will cause the death of 1.8 million people worldwide in 2022 alone, that is, approximately one fifth of all deaths caused by cancer. In Turkey, lung cancer is the most common type of cancer with approximately 40 thousand new cases and a significant share of the diagnosed cases. Most of them are diagnosed at an advanced stage.³ Lung cancer also ranks first in our country among the cancers that most commonly cause death.⁴ Having adequate information about such an important disease and taking preventive steps is life-saving. can make differences.
What are the general effects of sports on lung health? How effective can physical activity be in reducing the risk of lung cancer?
Physical activity and exercise improve fatigue, quality of life, cardiovascular fitness, lung function, muscle mass and strength, and psychological well-being in lung cancer patients. Studies have shown that regular exercise can significantly reduce the incidence of some cancer diseases. The most significant decrease is seen in the incidence of breast and colorectal cancer. Apart from these, it has been shown that the incidence levels of cancer types such as lung, prostate, endometrium, testicle and ovary are significantly reduced with regular exercise, and that exercise provides significant protection against many types of cancer.⁵
Which types of sports support lung health the most? Is cardio or strength training more effective?
Aerobic exercises and muscle strengthening exercises support lung health. Aerobic activities such as walking, jogging and rope jumping enable your heart and lungs to work more efficiently, while strength training such as weight lifting or pilates improves your posture and strengthens your respiratory muscles.
What should athletes pay attention to to protect their lungs?
Since athletes are exposed to more physical activity than normal individuals, it is important for them to consult their doctor before starting to exercise. They also need to avoid exercising outdoors when air pollution is high. In such cases, they can choose gyms or use an exercise machine.
We say that early diagnosis of lung cancer saves lives, so what symptoms should we focus on for early diagnosis?
Lung cancer usually does not cause symptoms and can be detected on a chest X-ray taken for other conditions. Tomography screening is performed in some countries for smokers in the high-risk group. A doctor should be consulted when symptoms such as chest pain, persistent cough, shortness of breath, blood in sputum, recurrent infections, hoarseness, loss of appetite and weight are observed. However, these symptoms can also be caused by other diseases.
Could you give information about the Lung Health Initiative and the “Don’t Ignore It Even If There Are No Symptoms” awareness campaign that you implemented within the scope of the initiative?
As the Turkish Medical Oncology Association, we launched the “Don’t Ignore Even If There Are No Symptoms” awareness campaign in cooperation with AstraZeneca. With the “Don’t Ignore It Even If There Are No Symptoms” awareness campaign, we aim to draw attention to lung cancer risk factors, symptoms and the importance of early diagnosis. Remember, early diagnosis saves lives!
For more information about the campaign, visit the Lung Health Initiative Instagram And Facebook You can visit the page.
*¹ World Health Organization. Globocan 2022 Fact Sheet. Available at: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/en/fact-sheets-populations#countries.
Accessed July 2024.
² Globocan 2022
³ Türkiye Cancer Statistics 2018, 2022
⁴ Globocan 2022
⁵ https://journalofsportsmedicine.org/full-text/27/tur*
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