Potential Risk Factors Associated with Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer and its Essential Preventive Measures
Each year, around 230,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer in the U.S. Beginning from the lungs, it may spread to lymph nodes or other organs in the body, such as the brain. While cancer from other organs also has the possibility to spread to the lungs. This spreading of cancer cells from one organ to another is called metastases.
Even doctors couldn’t determine if cancer will spread or where it will develop but understanding the risk factors associated with extensive stage small cell lung cancer may help one take preventive measures to reduce the likelihood of developing the disease.
Here, the risk factors will be discussed in broad, along with the preventive measures to be taken to beat extensive stage small cell lung cancer.
What is extensive stage small cell lung cancer?
Lung cancer occurs when mutated cells in the lungs grow out of control while forming a tumor. Many cases have arisen where these altered cells can die or can be attacked by the immune system, whereas some cells can escape the immune system to grow out of control and form a tumor in the lung.
Small cell lung cancer includes two sub-types, i.e., extensive stage small cell lung cancer and limited stage small cell lung cancer. Extensive stage small cell lung cancer is a disease that cannot be safely contained in a tolerable radiation field and is thus known to be one of the most aggressive diseases considering small cell lung cancer patients are diagnosed with extensive stage small cell lung cancer, mostly.
According to BIS Research, the U.S. is the top affected area of extensive stage small cell lung cancer, with an estimated prevalence for 2021 of more than 47,000 patients, followed by the U.K. with over 8,500 patients forecasted with a CAGR of 2.61% and 1.61% for the U.S. and the U.K respectively for the period 2022–2032.
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Moreover, the prevalence of extensive stage small lung cancer market is expected to increase region-wise in the coming years.
What are the common risk factors of extensive stage small cell lung cancer?
There are several risk factors associated with extensive stage small cell lung cancer that may increase the chances of severeness in the condition:
Smoking: Smoking cigarettes is one of the major risk factors, which links to about 80% to 90% of lung cancer deaths. It also includes other tobacco products such as cigars or pipes. Smoke created by tobacco is a toxic mix of more than 7,000 chemicals, which is the main cause of cancer in people or animals. Cigarette smoking is the cause of cancer in the mouth, throat, stomach, liver, colon, esophagus, rectum, voicebox (larynx), pancreas, trachea, bronchus, kidney, renal pelvis, urinary bladder, and cervix, and can also cause acute myeloid leukemia.
Genetic or family history: Lung cancer can be hereditary; anyone previously diagnosed with lung cancer or anyone with a family history of the disease has an increased risk of developing extensive stage small cell lung cancer. Particularly, people with inherited chromosome 6 are more likely to develop lung cancer than others.
Radon: Radon is a naturally occurring gas that forms in rocks, soil, and water and cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year are caused due to patients coming in contact with radon. Moreover, extensive stage small cell lung cancer risk from radon exposure is higher for people who smoke than for non-smokers.
Some other risk factors include previous history of treatments such as radiation therapy can increase the chances of lung cancer. Arsenic and radon in drinking water can also increase the risk of lung cancer.
Prevention Steps to Reduce the Risk of Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute, cigarettes that are low in tar or nicotine do not lower the risk of cancer; thus, one must beware of such advertisements, which encourage products claiming to be safer options.
Meanwhile, one can get home’s radon tested to avoid the risk of extensive stage small cell lung cancer, avoid exposure to known cancer-causing chemicals, mostly at the workplace, and use surgical masks to deplete smoke inhalation.
Conclusion
The treatment of extensive stage small cell lung cancer is extremely challenging due to the poor survival rate of the patients. But potential therapeutic effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors are working in progress to improve the overall survival among cancer patients. Moreover, patients are advised to take care of the risk factors and avoid them as much as required.
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