[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] A cough that was thought to be a cold may not be a simple respiratory illness if it lasts for more than three weeks.
One possible cause is lung cancer.
Lung cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in South Korea. In general, lung cancer refers to primary lung cancer, in which the cells that make up the lungs turn cancerous and begin to multiply. It includes non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for about 80% to 85% of cases, and small cell lung cancer, which accounts for about 15% to 20%.
The leading cause of lung cancer is smoking. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals, many of which are known carcinogens. The risk rises even more when a person starts smoking at a younger age, smokes for a longer period, or smokes more cigarettes per day. Secondhand smoke is also far from harmless. People who live around smokers are exposed to cigarette smoke regardless of their own choice, and long-term exposure increases the risk of lung cancer.
One of the biggest characteristics of lung cancer is that it often causes almost no early symptoms. In many cases, patients do not feel any particular discomfort until the cancer has grown to a certain extent. Some patients are even diagnosed by chance during a health checkup. If a cough lasts for more than three weeks or gets progressively worse, the cause must be checked.
When a cough persists for more than three weeks, the first test usually performed is a chest X-ray. It is a relatively simple and quick test, but small lesions or early-stage lung cancer can be difficult to detect. For a more accurate evaluation, a chest CT scan is performed.
Treatment for lung cancer varies depending on the stage, the type of cancer, and the patient's overall condition. In the early stages, or stages 1 and 2, surgery is the most important treatment. If the cancer is localized, surgical removal can offer a chance of cure, and adjuvant chemotherapy may be added to help prevent recurrence if needed.
Professor Gu So-mi of the Department of Pulmonology at Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital said, "If you have a cough that lasts more than three weeks, coughing up blood, or unexplained weight loss, you should not delay and should seek medical care," adding, "Even without symptoms, smokers aged 55 and older should undergo annual lung cancer screening."
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
