November is the time we all begin to think about the holidays and spending time with family. However, November is also Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

Every year lung cancer claims more lives than breast, ovarian, prostate and colorectal cancers combined. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2003, 171,900 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed and 157,000 people will die of lung cancer. Lung cancer has often been referred to as the "invisible cancer" due to the stigma related to the disease. Lung cancer patients report feeling ashamed to tell their family, friends and others that they have been diagnosed with lung cancer because they feel that they will be blamed. The symptoms for lung cancer can often be confused with symptoms of a less serious illness. Some of the most common symptoms are: persistent cough, persistent chest pain, change in color of sputum, blood in sputum, change in amount of sputum, wheezing, recurrent lung infections or unexplained weight loss. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, consult with your physician. Early detection of lung cancer is critical in improving survival. Testing people who are known to be at high risk for developing lung cancer may help to find tumors that are small and more easily treated. Those at greater risk for lung cancer are: people who are over the age of 60 and smoke or have previously smoked, those with previous lung tumors and people with chronic airway obstruction disease. There are no current guidelines for lung cancer screening; however, ongoing clinical trials are reviewing the benefit of low dose CT scans for lung cancer screening. Approximately 85 percent of lung cancers are contributed to smoking. Lung cancer would be a rare disease if people did not smoke. Although the best prevention of lung cancer is to never start smoking, even those who do smoke can benefit if they stop. Quitting takes hard work and effort, but you can quit. Studies have shown that using the following five steps will help you quit: get ready, get support, learn new skills and behaviors, get medication and use it correctly, and be prepared for relapse or difficult situations. One event that occurs in collaboration with Lung Cancer Awareness Month is The Great American Smoke Out on Nov. 20. This event draws national attention to the importance of being smoke-free, not just for your own health, but also for the health of your family, your friends and those with whom you share air space. It is an opportunity for people to stop smoking for the day, and hopefully, this will be the beginning of the end to their smoking habit.

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