Prevent Lung Cancer

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and in support Expand-A-Lung is launching our #LoveYourLungs campaign to demonstrate the many ways we can prevent lung cancer, things we can to do to improve survival and quality of life if we’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer, and in general to draw awareness and support to this serious disease.

Lung Cancer is a very common form of cancer that affects approximately 20,000 Americans per year. The leading causes of lung cancer include: smoking, second-hand smoke, and family history. There are two types of lung cancer: non-small cell which can often be treated with surgical removal if diagnosed early and small cell lung cancer which can rarely be removed via surgery. In both cases, chemotherapy and radiation are the most common forms of treatment. Even after surgery chemotherapy is often recommended as a preventative treatment to try and avoid the return of cancer.

Lung cancer can be fatal, however, when it is detected early (stage 1) it may be cured with surgery or radiation 80% of the time. So, the key is early detection and screening. If you have a family history of cancer or smoke, you should consider regular cancer screenings as part of your preventative care plan.

In addition to regular cancer screening, there are several things we can all do to help prevent lung cancer. The best thing you can do to prevent lung cancer is to stop smoking NOW and avoid second-hand smoke whenever possible. Firstly, your risk of developing lung cancer decreases when you stop smoking. Second, continuing to smoke after a cancer diagnosis will increase the risk of the cancer returning.

Exercise can also be a great way to decrease your risk of developing cancer and decrease the risk of cancer returning if you have been previously diagnosed. You don’t need anything drastic, even light intensity forms of working out can be of great help. “Even gardening two times a week has been associated with reducing lung cancer risk. Overall, people who are physically active appear to have roughly a 20 percent reduced risk of developing lung cancer.” Verywell health

If you have lost some lung function because of smoking, lung cancer, or simply getting older, training with an Expand-A-Lung can help by increasing your lung capacity. Even if you would simply like to improve your endurance to help with your new workout routine or breathe easier, Expand-A-Lung is the perfect tool. It’s simple and can be used almost anywhere so lack of time is no excuse. You can use your Expand-A-Lung while watching TV or sending emails, you can stand or sit comfortably just about anywhere and use it.

Last but certainly not least changing your diet could help prevent lung cancer. Overall good diet and exercise are excellent for your health. Additionally, there are some foods that have been linked with cancer prevention. Pears, for example, contain phloretin although it is not conclusive some studies have shown that this chemical has anti-tumor activity. Green tea is another great dietary addition as it has been linked to cancer prevention as well as aiding the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and herring are all rich in vitamin D. Vitamin D is the hardest vitamin to absorb in dietary form so adding these types of fish to your diet can have incredible health benefits. Curries containing turmeric have been showing to inhibit the invasive ability of lung cancer cells. There are plenty of other foods shown to have anti-cancerous benefits, but the key is to keep a healthy and balanced diet and follow the advice of your doctors.

While there is currently no full proof cure for lung cancer, we hope that in taking preventative measures we can avoid or at least lessen the effects of lung cancer; and through continued research, a cure for all forms of cancer will one day come to be. Cancer is a disease that touches us all in some way and we encourage support in the form of love: love your family, love your friends, love all of humanity, and #loveyourlungs.