Ada (not her real name) thought the dull pain in her back was just muscle soreness. She took an X-ray which showed a “spot” on her lung. Since she is a non-smoker and resides in a tuberculosis-endemic country, it was suspected as TB, hence she was prescribed anti tuberculosis medications for several months.
Still bothered by intermittent back pain, she consulted another doctor who eventually ordered a CT scan with biopsy. In January this year, more than a year after consulting a doctor for her back pain, Ada was diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma of the lung, the most common type of lung cancer.
“Lung cancer disease landscape is steadily changing. Whereas before, only smokers are considered to be at risk of the disease, now, there are more people living with lung cancer who do not have family history of cancer and who were never smokers,” said medical oncologist Dr. Charles Uy.
He continued, “People shrug off symptoms of a possible lung cancer as probably from a benign condition such as colds or arthritis. Some are diagnosed as spot in the lungs and treated as tuberculosis, many of them will not be doing biopsy to rule out cancer.”
According to Cancer Research UK, one in five women who has lung cancer never smoked. But the lack of awareness of the disease leads to misconception that those who have it are smokers.
“The stigma means people with lung cancer don’t easily form the same kind of communities as people with other types of cancer,” said Dr. Denky Shoji Dela Rosa, a medical oncologist at St. Luke’s Medical Center and University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center.
Lung cancer can also be caused by exposure to radon (a naturally occurring radioactive gas), second-hand tobacco smoke, air pollution, or other environmental factors.
To help address the stigma, low awareness, and lack of community activation and advocacy on lung cancer, AstraZeneca Philippines has partnered with the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology and local cancer support groups, such as the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations and Cancer Coalition Philippines to launch LVNG With Lung Cancer in the country.
“Every year, lung cancer kills more people than any other type of cancer,” lamented Paul Perez, spokesperson of Cancer Coalition Philippines and executive director of Project Brave Kids.
It is estimated that more than 13,000 Filipinos develop lung cancer each year. “But awareness of and support for lung cancer survivors and their loved ones is very low,” he added.
LVNG With Lung Cancer is an online resource that aims to activate a community of Filipinos living with lung cancer and their loved ones, allowing them to connect and learn, as well as share their experiences and inspire one another.
“This community will embrace them in every step of their journey in an uplifting, validating, and refreshingly authentic way that moves people from simply coping to living with their disease,” said Dr. Donald Josue, medical affairs head of AstraZeneca Philippines.
LVNG With Lung Cancer has three key objectives. First, build a local lung cancer community that can provide resources and support for lung cancer patients and caregivers. Raise the relevance of lung cancer and build advocacy through partnership with medical societies, patient groups, and academe. Finally, empower lung cancer patients and caregivers through disease education.
The LVNG With Lung Cancer website features inspiring and informative content delivered through personal stories. People with lung cancer have said that connecting with others who have received a lung cancer diagnosis can make all the difference in inspiring them to learn to “live with lung cancer.”
“By providing access to inspiring stories, expert opinion, and knowledge on where to get tested and what are the available treatment options, people living with lung cancer will now have a new horizon ahead of them,” added Dr. Josue.
Visit www.lvngwithphilippines.com or www.lvngph.com to learn more about lung cancer.
