Last updated on 10 April 2012 - 05:00pm
LUNG cancer is a leading cause of cancer death around the world. It has an overall five-year survival rate of lower than 15% since the majority of cases are being diagnosed at late stages.
Almost 70% of lung cancer patients already have advanced or metastatic disease at the time of first diagnosis.
There are several types of lung cancer, but non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) constitutes some 85% of cases. Between 30% and 40% of cases constitutes of adenocarcinoma (cancer of the glandular tissue beginning in the cells that line the mucus-producing alveoli).
Two common symptoms of NSCLC are chronic coughing that does not go away and breathlessness.
Screening tests
These include chest radiography, sputum cytology, and computed tomography but studies on the use of these techniques as screening tools are not so encouraging while the non-invasive exhaled breath analysis (EBA) shows greater promise. EBA detects the biomarkers associated with oxidative stress in the respiratory tract.
Cigarette smoke confers a significant amount of oxidative stress and hence the principal risk factor for lung cancer. Like many other types of cancer, its neoplastic process is also associated with chronic inflammation, which can come from infection, chronic allergy, and diets containing high inflammatory indices.
Other major risk factors for lung cancer can include prolonged exposure to radiation, pesticides, and second-hand smoke, as well as being overweight and the consumption of red and processed meat, and foods high in saturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Also at risk are farmers who consistently inhale "agricultural dusts" containing organic materials from animal and plant sources as well as inorganic materials in soil that can cause inflammation in, or irritate, the airways.
Genetics & malnutrition
First-degree relatives of non-smoking individuals diagnosed with lung cancer have an increased risk of developing any type of cancer. Lung cancer seems to be more strongly associated with possession of CYP1B1 gene.
Between 50 and 90% of all cancers can be prevented with individualised optimum nutrition. Many cancer patients die from malnutrition or infection and both of which are linked to improper nutrition.
Weight loss has been identified as an indicator of poor prognosis in cancer patients. Anorexia can hasten the course of cachexia, which is a progressive wasting syndrome evidenced by general weakness and a progressive loss of body weight, fat and muscle.
Cachexia is estimated to be the immediate cause of death in up to 40% of cancer patients.
Dietary considerations
Poor dietary habits pose a potential risk while intake of antioxidant-rich foods can offer a protective effect. Extensive studies show free radicals are involved in the initiation and promotion of cancer.
Consequently, eating adequate amounts of colourful and/or cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli and sprouts, can protect against the development of lung cancer.
Many studies showed cancer to be highly iron-dependent since rapidly dividing cells require this mineral for their DNA replication. Consequently, red meat, organ meat, eel, or cashewnut should be avoided.
Adjunct nutritional therapy
Evidence-based integrative cancer therapy used in Europe and North America include supplementation with nutraceuticals such as alpha carotene, lutein, lycopene, ascorbic acid, CoQ10, folate, soy genistein, selenium, quercetin and herbal extracts from turmeric, astragalus and artemisia.
Food sources of these nutrients include pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato, yam, bamboo shoot, buckwheat, millet, bell pepper, tomato, soy protein isolate, fujuk, onion and dark green organic vegetables.
All aspects of this natural therapy should only be administered by a licensed therapist trained in this field.
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/345448
