The Isle of Wight Primary Care Trust are today urging Island residents to be aware of the importance of early detection as Lung Cancer Awareness Month approaches.
The early signs of lung cancer can things like constantly feeling tired and out of breath, having a cough that you can’t get rid of or losing weight without changes to your diet.
They might seem like symptoms that many of us experience, but you’re urged to see you GP asap if you have any of the following:
* A cough that doesn’t go away after two to three weeks
* Worsening of a long-standing cough
* Persistent chest infections
* Coughing blood
* Unexplained persistent breathlessness
* Unexplained persistent tiredness or lack of energy
* Unexplained persistent weight loss
* Persistent chest and / or shoulder pain
Anne Snow, Lung Cancer Lead Clinician at St Mary’s Hospital says,
“These symptoms may not be serious, in which case, you’ve got nothing to lose by getting them checked out. Last year 100 people on the Island were diagnosed with lung cancer.
“Many people associate lung cancer with smoking and although it is still the major cause, it is important to recognise that non-smokers can get lung cancer too – one in eight people with lung cancer have never smoked.”
If you have any of the symptoms above or are concerned, visit your GP or local pharmacy now or call the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Helpline free on 0800 358 7200; or Macmillan CancerLine on 0808 808 2020.
Image: T Lindenbaum
