Lung Cancer Can Stay Dormant for 20 Years Before Flaring Up
Lung Cancer Can Stay Dormant for 20 Years Before Flaring Up – A study published in the journal Science says lung cancer can lie dormant in ex-smokers for two decades before flaring up.
Scientists believe, new information about the most deadly form of cancer could lead to fewer victims in the future. A study published in the journal, Science, conducted by Cancer Research, UK, says lung cancer can lie dormant in ex-smokers for two decades before flaring up and becming aggressive.
The study, however, dealt with a very small sampling size of 7 smokers including current smokers and ex-smokers, and some who’ve never smoked.
According to the study, the original mutation in lung cells that cause cancer may have occurred years before the symptoms appear, so the cancer is not detected until additional mutations occur in the lungs cells and, potentially, years later. And that’s the big problem. Patients and physicians don’t detect the original mutations but by the time additional mutations occur in the lungs, the cancer had progressed significantly, putting doctors a step behind.
The chief scientist at Cancer Research, UK, said in his statement,” This fascinating research highlights the need to find better ways to detect lung cancer earlier when it’s still following just one evolutionary path. If we can nip the disease in the bud and treat it before it has started travelling down different evolutionary routes, we could make real difference in helping more people survive the disease”.
while lung cancer predominantly affects those who are 65 and older, it also kills more than 85% of those who develop the disease within 5 years of the diagnosis. Lung cancer is also one of the most common forms of cancer, causing more deaths per year than breast and pancreatic cancer combined.
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