May 22, 2023 – Did you know that cutting-edge research highlights the link between asthma And lung cancer?
About 25 million Americans have asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways who does the the inner lining of your lungs swells. Between 5% and 10% of Americans with the disease have severe asthma. Severe asthma is categorized by the need for medium to high dose corticosteroids and other long-acting medications. These medications often don’t control the symptoms of asthma, which people with asthma experience every night and most days of the week.
The inflammation caused by asthma triggers attacks when patients breathe in allergens like pollen, dust or pollutants.
Lung cancer is also driven by inflammation in the airways, which can contribute to the development of tumours.
“Inflammation appears to be linked to malignant tumors,” said William L. Dahut, MD, scientific director of the American Cancer Society. “Inflammation from asthma may be one of the reasons why people with asthma are more likely to get lung cancer.”
Severe asthma is also characterized by fibroblastscells that can also promote inflammation. Researchers also associate fibroblasts with lung cancer.
“In a basic laboratory studyinvestigators found that invasive bronchial fibroblasts derived from asthma patients can activate lung cancer cells,” said Yi Guo, PhD, associate professor of health outcomes and biomedical informatics at the University of Florida School of Medicine in Gainesville. “Further studies are needed to explore this relationship in real-world patient populations.” (Guo also co-wrote a new study which found that patients with asthma are almost one and a half times more likely to get cancer than those in good respiratory health.)
Researchers in the United Arab Emirates found that patients with severe asthma are often diagnosed with lung cancer after it has developed over 3 decades. This is important because it shows that inflammation from severe asthma can contribute to long-term, low-grade damage to lung tissue. Study authors work with Canadian researchers further found that patients with severe asthma are more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive stage III or IV lung cancer, and that physicians may want to consider severe asthma as a predictor of disease risk.
Read on to find out what might put people with severe asthma at higher risk for lung cancer, and how to reduce those risks.
What are the symptoms of severe asthma?
THE asthma symptoms are:
- To cough
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Tightness in the chest
People with severe asthma may also breathe rapidly, have changes in their heart rate, and may strain head and neck muscles from the stress of coughing or trying to get more air.
What are the symptoms of lung cancer?
There is two types of lung cancer. Adenocarcinoma occurs in up to 85% of patients and is also linked to a subtype called squamous cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer, which occurs in only 15% of patients, grows and spreads faster. For patients with severe asthma, “the increased risk of lung cancer does not occur in adenocarcinoma, but is more common in small cell and squamous cells,” Dahut said.
Symptoms of lung cancer include:
- A cough that gets worse or persists
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- coughing up blood
- extreme tiredness
- Unexplained weight loss
Some of the symptoms of lung cancer overlap with signs of severe asthma. It is important that people with severe asthma tell their doctor about any new concerns.
Should you be screened for lung cancer if you have severe asthma?
At that time, the recommendations for lung cancer screening apply to patients who:
- Have a smoking history of 20 pack-years or more, and
- Smoke now or quit smoking within the past 15 years, and
- Are between 50 and 80 years old
That said, risk can be very specific, so it’s important that people do what’s right for them on an individual level.
“It’s important to stick to what your doctor recommends,” said Albert Rizzo, MD, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association. “If you have a family history of lung cancer, it’s also important to discuss this with your doctor.”
How can you reduce your risk of lung cancer if you have severe asthma?
To reduce the risk, it is important to:
- Stay on top of your symptoms. Researchers in Norway recently found that patients whose lung cancer symptoms are only partially controlled have a higher risk of lung cancer. If your asthma symptoms are well controlled, there is much less chance of damaging your lung tissue.
- Find out about the adjustment of your medication.
“Some studies have also shown that patients who used glucocorticoids decrease the risk of lung cancer,” Dahut said. (Glucocorticoids not only fight inflammation in severe asthma, but also in cancer.) - Do not smoke and avoid any second-hand smoke.
- Make your living space safer.
“Have your home tested for radon gaswhich can increase your risk of lung cancer,” Rizzo said. - Avoid carcinogenic chemicals where you work. Diesel vapors, for example, have been associated with a higher risk of lung cancer. Also, avoid exposing yourself to it while you’re moving around by rolling your windows up in traffic.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables. These foods contain potent compounds which may have a protective effect. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy and Brussels sprouts contain sulforaphane, which may reduce the risk of cancer. Leafy greens are full of folate, which can also help prevent disease. Also, consider orange: Foods of this color, such as oranges, tangerines, peaches, papayas, red peppers and carrots, contain beta-cryptoxanthin, a pigment known to fight cancer. cancer.
- Exercise as much as you can. Ask your doctor to recommend low-impact workouts that won’t cause shortness of breath.
“The more you control your risk factors for lung cancer, the lower your chances may be,” Rizzo said. In short: there are many things you can start doing today to live a longer, healthier life.