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‘Adenocarcinoma is a common type of lung cancer among non-smokers’

The doctor recommends that in the high pollution levels, that we encounter throughout the year, it is crucial for individuals to prioritize their lung health.

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In a rare case, a 35-year-old non-smoker patient from Rewari was diagnosed with fourth-stage lung cancer. According to doctors, air pollution has been a significant concern in this area.

The patient’s CT scan reports showed patches on both sides of his lungs with enlargement of lymph nodes (glands) around the heart. Doctors performed a biopsy and discovered it was an adenocarcinoma case. The patient is currently undergoing Chemotherapy.

Doctors informed Financial Express.com that the patient is a farmer from Rewari. Air pollution in the national capital and surrounding states- Punjab, Haryana is poor and declared to be unhealthy by the government. Working in the open for hours and hours makes people vulnerable to catching not just pulmonary but a wide range of chronic conditions.

“The patient was treated in various healthcare centres for presumed chest tuberculosis (TB) for the last 5 months and was taking medications as his condition was severe during this time. Unfortunately, in the very initial diagnosis at Paras Health, the outcome reflected the advanced stage of lung cancer with a spread of the disease to different parts of the lungs with metastasis in the lymph node & bones which means that cancer had breached the boundaries,” the doctors of Paras Health informed while addressing a press conference on Tuesday.

Given his state, doctors had to recommend chemotherapy and supportive treatment.

“It was incredibly surprising to discover that this patient, hailing from Rewari, Haryana, had no family history of lung cancer and had never smoked in their lifetime. It is important to note that the state has recently experienced a significant 9.66% rise in stubble burning, contributing to the overall pollution levels. Interestingly, this particular locality has also reported cases of asthma and other lung diseases. Upon thorough examination of the patient’s condition and test results, we realized that although their symptoms worsened over the past five months, the underlying cause was lung cancer rather than the initially suspected tuberculosis,” Dr. Arunesh Kumar, HOD Department of Pulmonology & Respiratory Medicine, Paras Health, Gurugram said during the press conference.

While COPD is one of the growing concerns due to poor air quality, patients are suffering from eye infections, skin allergies, and cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. The vulnerable crowd and people with lung diseases are prone to catch severe impact and must stay away from heavy exertion, according to health experts.

On the increasing incidence of lung cancer in India, Dr. Kumar told Financial Express.com: “…this is the tip of the iceberg. We are not saying we are not covering everything. There is a whole underbelly where which is full of cases of COPD and cancer underneath. So it is a very underdiagnosed condition because what we are seeing may be very small, minuscule of what it edges and that is why while we appreciate that incidences are going up, there is a huge number of patients lying there who are still not diagnosed.”

He also emphasised that early diagnosis of lung cancer is extremely important. “…people who have smoked for more than 15 years are having one of those, you know, sort of red flag signs like losing weight, having cough, chest pain, coughing up blood in your spit, these sort of thing. They should come forward to get it checked. Chest X-ray is a most common way when you when somebody can scream and if they are abnormal,” he said.

Dr. Kumar also revealed that the type of cancer which is increasing more is adenocarcinoma.

“So adenocarcinoma is a cancer which can be found in non-smokers. So this is the variety that is most commonly seen in non-smokers. Adenocarcinoma. Then there is a type of cancer called small cell carcinoma is common cell carcinoma. Small cell carcinoma is linked with smoking and that is a very sort of aggressive type of cancer. So overall if you look at it, the adenocarcinoma incidence is going up,” he added.

The doctor recommends that in the high pollution levels, that we encounter throughout the year, it is crucial for individuals to prioritize their lung health.

“Wearing masks can provide adequate protection. Moreover, quitting smoking completely is paramount, as it exacerbates the detrimental effects of pollution on lung function. Maintaining a high-protein diet, incorporating antioxidants, and consuming green leafy vegetables can contribute to the preservation of healthy lungs. It is advisable to avoid outdoor exercise during peak pollution hours and adhere to prescribed medication consistently. Among the various diseases associated with pollution, the most common ones include adult-onset asthma, allergic bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, and COPD,” he pointed out.

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First published on: 31-05-2023 at 09:52 IST
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