November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and if ever there were a cancer that needed an awareness month, it’s lung cancer. Sometimes referred to as the invisible cancer, lung cancer is a disease caught up in a smoke cloud of misconceptions, and those misconceptions can prevent patients from early detection, treatment, and support. Several of the myths and misconceptions about lung cancer are addressed and dispelled in a recent article at fredhutch.org. One of the main myths is that you only need to worry about lung cancer if you are or ever were a smoker. That’s simply not true. In fact, people who have never smoked can get lung cancer, and it can be a genetic disease. Other myths include the belief that there are no early detection screening processes and that there has been no progress in lung cancer research. While it’s true that other cancers seem to have more screening options and better prognosis, advancements are being made in lung cancer. Organizations such as Patient Empowerment Network are making progress in building awareness and reducing the stigmas about lung cancer. See the rest of the myths and misconceptions and how they are dispelled here.
There is nothing sweet about having lung cancer, but there may be a sugary clue that could lead to earlier detection, reports forbes.com. Researchers have discovered that early-stage, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors and precancerous lesions produce high levels of a molecule that they use to consume sugar to help fuel their growth. The molecule, called SGLT2, could be used to detect early stage NSCLC. Researchers also found that a diabetes drug, which blocks SGLT2, also prevented tumor progression in mice, which shows promise for possible future treatment of NSCLC. Further studies of SGLT2 could hinder the development of malignant NSCLC, and more information about this hopeful development can be found here.
Another hopeful lung cancer development comes in the form of a hot needle, reports dailymail.co.uk. The treatment, called radio frequency ablation, is being used to diagnose and treat difficult-to-reach tumors. In addition to being able to destroy the tumor by heating it up with radio frequency energy, doctors are able to use the needle to remove part of the tumor for biopsy. The needle works in place of attempting to access the tumors through invasive surgery. The hot-needle treatment is considered safe for repeated use, and a report showed that half of the patients treated with the hot needle survived at least five years. More information about this hot new treatment can be found here.
We would be remiss if we didn’t note that November is also National Family Caregiver’s Month. There are approximately 43.5 million unpaid caregivers in the United States and they are a critical component of a cancer patient’s journey. It is important for caregivers to make sure they are practicing self-care as well, and there are a number of resources available to them to help ensure caregivers have the information they need to care for their loved ones and themselves. The PEN Path to Patient Empowerment guide provides resources for care partners, including links to the Family Caregiver Alliance website and the American Cancer Society Caregiver Resource Guide. Chock full of information for caregivers about caregivers and the patients they care for, these resources are a must have for any caregiver and can be found here and here.
Oh, and November is also the month where we give thanks. Happy Thanksgiving from the PEN Family to your Family. We are thankful for you!