daniel chigunwe
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Health Buzz
With more than 1,8 million people across the world dying from lung cancer every year, it remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths globally.
In Zimbabwe, the disease also casts its dark shadow, with an estimated 1 200 new cases diagnosed annually, resulting in around 800 deaths according to the Zimbabwe National Cancer Registry.
Lung cancer often remains undetected until it reaches advanced stages, making it more difficult and expensive to treat.
Despite the fact that lung cancer is caused by everyday habits like smoking, drinking alcohol, eating unhealthy foods among others, it seems awareness of the disease remains low.
Lung cancer is a type of cancer that starts when abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way in the lungs.
Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, responsible for approximately 85 percent of all cases.
Tobacco (including cigarettes, cigars, and pipes) does not only pose risk for smokers but it can also affect non-smokers. Other risk factors include occupational hazards (such as asbestos, radon and certain chemicals), air pollution, hereditary cancer syndromes, and previous chronic lung diseases.
Zimbabwe has about 864 292 male and 37 181 female adult smokers but the youth smoking rates are also a cause for concern, with 17 percent of youth aged 14 years and below smoking.
A total of 8 696 people die from smoking-related illnesses in Zimbabwe each year.
The most common types of lung cancer are non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC) and small cell carcinoma (SCLC).
Lung cancer typically does not cause symptoms early on but they usually happen when the disease is advanced.
Signs and symptoms of lung cancer that happen in and around the lungs may include a new cough that doesn’t go away, chest pain, coughing up blood, even a small amount, hoarseness, shortness of breath and wheezing.
When the cancer has spread to other parts of the body it can cause symptoms such as bone pain, headache, losing weight without trying as well as swelling in the face or neck among others.
Chemotherapy is often the first-line treatment for the majority of patients around the world and involves the use of drugs that circulate throughout the body to kill cancer cells.
Combination chemotherapy regimens are commonly used, and the choice of drugs depends on factors such as the histological type of the cancer and the patient’s general health conditions.
Local treatments, such as radiation therapy and surgery, may also be used to manage specific metastatic sites or alleviate symptoms caused by tumour growth.
Unfortunately, according to oncologist Dr Anna Marry Nyakabau, “a lot of the patients are diagnosed as TB initially, such that by the time they come to the oncologist, the disease is already far gone.”
This is evidence that the country needs to do more to deal with the disease.
Last week, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), with support from Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation and the Jointed Hands Welfare Organisation (JHWO), held an inception meeting for the Hope for Lungs project, which seeks to improve access to early diagnostic services and treatment for lung cancer in the country.
The goal is improving access to early diagnostic services for lung cancer with the objective to facilitate policy development and assessing the risk factors associated with lung cancer. This is expected to help quantify the true lung cancer burden in targeted populations and improve access to lung cancer services.
The most important thing about these interventions is that it is prioritising prevention.
Like all other diseases, prevention is always best.
It is cheaper and leads to better outcomes for everyone.
Prevention of lung cancer include primary and secondary prevention measures. Primary prevention aims to prevent the initial occurrence of a disease through risk reduction and promoting healthy behaviour. In public health, these preventive measures include smoking cessation, promoting smoke-free environments, implementing tobacco control policies, addressing occupational hazards, and reducing air pollution levels.
Secondary prevention for lung cancer involves screening methods that aim to detect the disease in its early stages, before symptoms become apparent and can be indicated for high-risk individuals. In this population, early detection can significantly increase the chances of successful treatment and improve outcomes.
“We want to get them when the disease is young and naive so that we can eradicate it. And better still, if we can prevent the disease through looking at all the preventive measures, things like occupational exposure. Because when the disease is advanced, it is more difficult to cure,” Dr Nyakabau says.
While Zimbabwe has started implementing initiatives to fight lung cancer, more can still be done.
The World Health Organisation is also doing its part to help countries like Zimbabwe in this regard.
The health body recognises the significant impact of lung cancer on global health and has implemented several initiatives to address the disease comprehensively.
The WHO’s response focuses on tobacco control, cancer prevention, early detection, and improving access to quality treatment and care. WHO supports countries in implementing evidence-based tobacco control policies, including increasing tobacco taxes, enforcing comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, and implementing strong graphic health warnings on tobacco products.
The organisation also promotes cancer prevention strategies by advocating for healthy lifestyles, including regular physical activity, a healthy diet, and minimising exposure to environmental risk factors.
Additionally, WHO supports early detection programs and encourages countries to implement screening measures for high-risk populations to detect lung cancer at earlier stages when treatment options are more effective.
WHO works towards ensuring access to quality treatment and care for lung cancer patients by providing technical guidance to member states, promoting equitable access to essential cancer medicines, and fostering international collaboration to share best practices and improve cancer care outcomes.
While the country has initiated efforts to combat this deadly disease, more comprehensive and sustained action is crucial.
The focus must be on prevention through robust tobacco control measures, addressing occupational hazards, and promoting healthy lifestyles. Early detection initiatives are vital to improve treatment outcomes.
Furthermore, strengthening healthcare systems to ensure timely diagnosis and access to quality treatment for all patients is paramount. By combining these efforts with multi-sectoral support and collaboration, Zimbabwe can effectively address the lung cancer burden and improve the lives of its citizens.
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