Up Against Rising Lung Cancer Cases

According to global cancer statistics, over 18.1 million new cancer cases were diagnosed in 2018 alone. Among them, 11.6% were lung cancer cases, making it the most common type of cancer by both sexes worldwide.¹

In Hong Kong, lung cancer is the second most common cancer in men. It is also the third most common in women, after breast cancer and colorectal cancer. It accounted for 15.7% of new cancer cases in 2016.² Why is lung cancer so common in Hong Kong? And what can we do to protect ourselves against it? Let’s find out now.

Cause and treatment of Lung Cancer

The main types of lung cancer are small lung cancer and non-small lung cancer, with the latter being more common than the former. It is believed that smoking is the major cause of lung cancer. This includes Waterpipe Tobacco. The risk of smokers developing lung cancer is 20 times higher than non-smokers, but second-hand smoke is also culpable of causing lung cancer.³

Depending on the types of lung cancer diagnosed, doctors' prescriptions and preferred ways of treatment vary. Patients diagnosed with small lung cancer are usually treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy; while those with non-small cell lung cancer can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, or a combination of these treatments.

Prevention of Lung Cancer

A healthy lifestyle is invariably central to preventing lung cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) estimates that 30 to 40% of cancers could be prevented based on a healthy diet and moderate exercise alone.⁴ Here are some tips:

• Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans. Eat healthy and eat like a rainbow!
• Avoid foods that are high in added sugar, or salt, or low in fiber, or high in fat
• Avoid processed meats
• Limit alcoholic drinks to 2 for men and 1 for women a day
• Be active: exercise for at least 30 minutes every day If you are new to this, start by doing 15 minutes of low impact aerobic exercise like walking or riding a bicycle three times a week. Work slowly towards doing 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercises like running most days of the week.

The above measures can help one maintain physical well-being, and in turn, significantly reduce the risk of cancer.⁵

How does VHIS protect cancer patients?

Besides a healthy lifestyle, a comprehensive insurance protection will help safeguard you and your family against what’s unexpected in life. With four deductible options, the Cigna VHIS Series Flexi Plan (Superior) lets you enjoy a lower premium while having full compensation of prescribed non-surgical cancer treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and hormonal therapy. Click here to learn more.

Sources:

1. World Health Organization - Latest global cancer data: Cancer burden rises to 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million cancer deaths in 2018
2. Centre for Health Protection - Lung Cancer
3. Canadian Cancer Society - Smoking shortens lives
4. verywellhealth - Lung Cancer Prevention With Dieting
5. World Cancer Research Fund - Diet, nutrition, physical activity and lung cancer