Lung cancer cases are increasing every year in the country. The figures of death due to this disease are also increasing. In most of the cases, the patients of this disease reach the hospital for treatment in the last stage. This happens because of not knowing the symptoms and not getting the right treatment at the right time. In many cases, patients with lung cancer continue to be treated for TB disease for years. In such a situation, cancer is detected very late. In this situation it becomes difficult to save the life of the patient.
Experts say that about 30 to 40 percent of patients with lung cancer are first treated for TB, while they have lung cancer. The reason for this wrong treatment is that rural level hospitals do not have better testing facilities. The problem of lung infection or cough is not considered as lung cancer, but is treated as a TB problem.
The problem of cough is considered as TB.
Cancer surgeon Dr. Anshuman Kumar explains that the problem of chronic cough is treated considering it as TB. In rural hospitals, in cases of lung infection (cough, difficulty in breathing and bronchitis), an X-ray of the patient is done. In many such cases, TB is detected in X-ray. Doctors also believe that the problem of cough is TB only. For many years only TB medicine continues to work. In such a situation, cancer screening is not taken care of and the disease continues to grow.
In critical condition, the patient is referred to a bigger hospital. Where it is known that it was not TB but lung cancer. But during this time it gets so late that the patient's disease reaches the last stage.
Dr. Prabhat Malik, Additional Professor in the Department of Medical Oncology at Delhi AIIMS, explains that most cases of lung cancer are reported late. The reason for this is that the first patient is undergoing treatment for TB. This happens because, in the primary level hospitals, the infection in the lungs is not closely examined. Cancer cannot be detected by this.
How to know that it is not TB but Lung cancer
Dr. Anshuman Kumar told that if a person has cough for more than three weeks and mucus is coming along with it, then it is a symptom of TB. For this, first get a TB test done. If TB is confirmed then get it treated. During this, take your medicines regularly. If you are taking TB medicines and the problem is not getting cured even after three weeks, then it could be lung cancer. In such a situation, go to a big hospital and get a cancer test done. Do not delay at all in this matter.
Do not ignore cough
Professor Dr. Jugal Kishore in the Community Medicine Department at Safdarjung Hospital says that people in India get TB treatment done very late. Let's ignore the cough that is happening for a long time. In many cases, even in hospitals, the problem of lungs is treated considering it as TB. In such a situation, doctors also need to pay attention to this. If there is no relief in the treatment of TB, then the patient should be sent to a big center for cancer examination as soon as possible.
People are also advised not to take cough lightly. If cough persists for more than three weeks continuously, then definitely get yourself examined.
Liquid biopsy to check for lung cancer
Liquid biopsy is a better option to check for lung cancer. Although this facility is available only in big hospitals, but if you have symptoms of TB and are not getting much relief during TB treatment, then go to big hospitals and get yourself examined. If the test is done in the beginning itself, then lung cancer can be easily prevented.
