Oncologist Terms Smoking As Major Cause Of Lung Cancer

Eminent Oncologist and Director Nuclear Institute of Medicines and Radiotherapy (NIMRA) Dr.Syed Shahid Iqbal said that smoking was at the top of major causes of Lung cancer- a fatal disease which is spreading in Pakistan and around the globe.

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Mar, 2018 ) :Eminent Oncologist and Director Nuclear Institute of Medicines and Radiotherapy (NIMRA) Dr.Syed Shahid Iqbal said that smoking was at the top of major causes of Lung cancer- a fatal disease which is spreading in Pakistan and around the globe.

The global tobacco epidemic kills one person over the globe after every 6 seconds and its occurrence is seen very high with higher prevalence of smoking, Dr. Syed Shahid Iqbal said while talking to APP on Monday.

He maintained that the main reason for developing lung cancer is smoking and smoking is very common among young now a days. He said that the list of diseases caused by tobacco includes cancers of the kidneys, stomach, cervix, and pancreas as well as leukemia, cataracts, pneumonia and gum disease.

He emphasized importance of lifestyle in the prevention of lung cancer which would cut down the risk of the disease to one-third or half and the worst part is the diagnosis while the treatment for lung cancer is still poorly developed in the country and the rest of the world as well, he said.

Dr. Syed Shahid Iqbal said that two percent of cancer patients were driven into bankruptcy by their illness and its treatment and only way to cost effective healthcare is to say no to tobacco, eat vegetables and fruits, exercise regularly and sleep properly.

He stressed on screening and early diagnosis of cancer. He said every fifth person is at risk of developing cancer if they live for seven decades. Dr. Syed Shahid Iqbal said that more deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from AIDS, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides & murders combined.

He further informed that on average, adults who smoke cigarettes die 14 years earlier than nonsmokers. According to research nearly 40 percent of lung cancers in adult males of Pakistan are associated with tobacco.

Dr. Syed Shahid Iqbal informed that Lung cancer is a fatal disease which is spreading in Pakistan, and there are so many causes of it.

He said that the main reason for developing lung cancer is smoking, and smoking is very common among young boys and girls.

In Pakistan mostly school children are witnessed busy smoking tobacco which is really dangerous for their health, he added. He expressed that Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies in the world and both incidence and mortality rates are continuing to rise in Pakistan.

However, epidemiological studies to identify common lung cancer determinants in the Pakistani population have been limited, he added. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), lung cancer causes more than 7.6 million deaths every year in the world, and it is also killing plenty of people in Pakistan.

But no winsome steps are being taken by the government or the people, Dr.Syed Shahid Iqbal informed. Dr. Syed Shahid Iqbal highlighted the awareness and prevention of lung cancer. He said that Lung cancer oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world but it is rising rapidly in southern areas of Pakistan.

He further said that the word Cancer week is very scary, but the scenario could be more frightening if you or any of your loved one is being diagnosed with the disease. But, the fact is that most cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes, early detection, and treatment, added.

Dr. Syed Shahid Iqbal elaborated that World Cancer week is a unique opportunity to raise awareness that much can be done at an individual, community, and governmental level, to harness and mobilize these solutions and catalyze positive change, added.

He advised lung cancer patients to have good quality tests, go to places where there are teams for treatment, keep their nutrients up and ask questions that concern them. Dr.Syed Shahid Iqbal further on the situation urged for public awareness regarding the factors enhancing their risks to lung cancer and also adequate screening facilities in the country.