Content Sources:
1. China Cancer Center. (2020). Chinese Cancer Statistical Yearbook 2020. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House.
2. Li Ning et al. (2019). "Analysis of Lung Cancer Incidence and Mortality Trends in Mainland China". Chinese Journal of Epidemiology, 40(3), 277-282.
3. Zheng Yuqiao et al. (2018). "Research on Major Cancer Prevention and Control Strategies in China". Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology, 45(1), 1-10.
In 2015, Zheng Qi, a 28-year-old native of Gansu, had a prosperous career, although he was busy every day, he could always be comforted when he paid his salary.
However, in late 2015, Zheng Qi found that he was always prone to coughing and coughing up phlegm, especially in the middle of the night. This situation itself is not surprising to a person with a history of smoking, but Zheng Qi, who is keen, still senses that something is wrong.
Every late at night, in order not to wake up his sleeping wife, he had to go to the sofa in the living room to nest, because of the cold weather, he caught a cold and fever within a few days. After this fever, the cough becomes more and more obvious, and it is accompanied by a cough of phlegm.
At first, it was white sticky sputum, but after a few days, it developed into yellow thick sputum, and I coughed about a dozen times a day, which was not much. At the time, it seemed that these anomalies might have been caused by a viral flu, and no one paid any extra attention to them.
A week has passed, and Zheng Qi's illness is almost better. But since then, his body's immune system seems to have ceased to exist, and he catches colds at every turn, and every time he has a cold, he has frequent coughs and phlegm, during which he has tried to take antibiotics, but it is also a symptom but not a cure.
In a blink of an eye, the time came to the beginning of 2016, and the wanderers rushed home one by one. Zheng Qi was no exception, on the way home, he had a paroxysmal cough again, and unlike before, this cough turned out to be bloodshot.
The first thing he did after returning home was to go to the hospital to see a doctor, and due to the limited medical conditions in his hometown, Zheng Qi's illness was only attributed to a cold. At this time, Zheng Qi already knew that things were probably not so simple, but if he wanted to know the specific result, he still had to wait until he went back.
After a little and a half months, I finally came to the hospital for an examination. After listening to his description of his symptoms, the doctor first performed a brief physical examination and found that the patient had dullness on percussion of the lower right lung and decreased breath sounds.
After the basic examination, the doctor asked him to get a chest X-ray first. Under the expedited treatment, the results were quickly obtained, and the report showed that the patient's right lung had a mass with a diameter of 3.0cm, with burrs, and the total number of blood white blood cells and the proportion of neutrophils indicated by the blood routine increased, and lung cancer was basically suspected.
In order to further clarify the results, the doctor added several additional tests, and confirmed that it was lung cancer.
The number of new lung cancer cases and deaths in mainland China exceeds 780,000 every year. The 5-year survival rate of lung cancer is still at a low level compared with developed countries, mainly because most lung cancer patients in mainland China are at an advanced stage when they are diagnosed, resulting in unsatisfactory treatment results. In addition, about 85% of lung cancer patients in mainland China have non-small cell lung cancer, and the remaining 15% have small cell lung cancer.
According to the latest statistics released by the World Health Organization, lung cancer is one of the cancers with the highest incidence and mortality rates in the world. More than 2 million new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed each year, and more than 1.6 million people die each year from lung cancer. Among all cancers, the five-year survival rate for lung cancer is relatively low, mainly because lung cancer often has no obvious symptoms in the early stages, resulting in most patients already at an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis.
When he knew the result, Zheng Qi said that it was as if the sky had fallen, and he had never felt so uncomfortable. I never imagined that one day I would become a cancer patient.
In the days of treatment in the hospital, Zheng Qi seemed to feel the taste of life passing through his fingertips, and at that moment he admitted that he thought about suicide. But at this moment, Zheng Qi's wife told him that she was pregnant. The arrival of a new life has become the only reason for Zheng Qi to cheer up.
Until 2024, 8 years have passed, Zheng Qi is still alive, accompanying his twins and his wife, as if he has become an anti-cancer saint. When everyone asked him how he did it, he just said lightly: it is enough to stick to these three points.
First and foremost, it is important to quit smoking. Tobacco burning releases a variety of carcinogens that can directly damage cells in the lungs. Not only that, but secondhand smoke is also a high-risk factor that should not be overlooked. Therefore, whether it is active or passive smoking, it should be firmly avoided. Studies have shown that after quitting smoking, the risk of lung cancer decreases regardless of the number and amount of years you smoke, and the sooner you quit, the greater the health benefits.
Second, stick to a moderate amount of physical activity. Physical activity plays a non-negligible role in promoting healthy lung function. Regular exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming or cycling, can enhance lung and cardiovascular function and improve the body's overall ability to resist disease.
Studies have shown that at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, significantly reduces the risk of lung cancer. In addition, exercise can help maintain a healthy weight, and being overweight or obese is also a risk factor for lung cancer.
Third, pay attention to a balanced and healthy diet. An abundance of fruits, vegetables and whole grains can provide the body with all the nutrients it needs, which has a positive effect on cancer prevention. Antioxidant-rich foods, such as dark vegetables and fruits, are particularly antioxidant-rich, as they can help remove free radicals from the body and reduce the risk of cell damage.
In addition, the intake of red and processed meat should be reduced in moderation, as some studies have shown that excessive consumption of these foods may increase the risk of lung cancer.
In addition to the above three points, regular lung check-ups should be done, especially for those with high risk factors for lung cancer, such as long-term smokers. Advances in modern medicine have made it possible to detect lung cancer early, and early diagnosis often means better treatment outcomes and survival rates.
In summary, although the risk of lung cancer is affected by a variety of factors, we can reduce the risk of developing the disease to a large extent by making lifestyle modifications such as quitting smoking, increasing physical activity, and maintaining a healthy diet. The cultivation of these habits is not only beneficial for the prevention of lung cancer, but also for improving the overall quality of life and other health conditions. Of course, it is best to consult a medical professional to develop the most suitable preventive and health care measures for the specific health of the individual.