World Lung Cancer Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Lung Cancer

World Lung Cancer Day is observed annually on August 1. In an effort to reduce the incidence of lung cancer, people all over the globe observe this special day. The objective of this day is straightforward: raise as much awareness as possible about lung cancer and encourage people to get screened for it. As for why this day is so significant, the World Health Organisation reports that lung cancer is so prevalent that more people perish from it annually than from colon, breast, and liver cancers combined. We do not know who the organisers of this day were, but we are certain that they intended to encourage everyone to achieve improved outcomes and recover from this illness.

The background of World Lung Cancer Day

Initially characterised by physicians in the early nineteenth century, lung cancer was a very rare disease for a very long time. Prior to approximately 150 years ago, only 1% to 2% of the population was affected by this disease, according to studies. A century later, the scenario had changed drastically. In more than 25 nations, it became the primary cause of male cancer-related deaths by the end of the 20th century, despite its rarity in the early part of the century.

No one knew how this occurred or what precipitated this precipitous increase. The Springer Handbook of Special Pathology, a scientifically significant handbook published in the 1930s, theorised that this increase could be a direct consequence of air pollution, increased traffic, and even increased exposure to gas during World War I. This compendium, like many others, was unable to explain why lung cancer also increased in countries where none of the aforementioned factors existed. Smoking was also suspected to be a factor, but studying this theory was not assigned a high priority. People became aware of the negative effects of nicotine and tobacco only after studies conducted in the 1940s and 1950s provided conclusive evidence linking lung cancer to smoking.

As smoking was now recognised as a cause of lung cancer, many people worldwide attempted to kick the habit, resulting in a gradual decline in lung cancer incidence, at least among men. Unfortunately for humanity, lung cancer has multiple causes. Long-term exposure (via air) to all carcinogenic substances, including radon gas, uranium, and asbestos, also contributes to the development of lung cancer. In the 21st century, lung cancer-related ailments were prevalent and rapidly surpassed other types of cancer in terms of mortality. Along with this upward trend came a greater understanding of lung cancer and its causes. These days and events are a primary contributor to lung cancer research and awareness efforts.

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5 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT LUNG CANCER YOU MUST KNOW

According to certain cancer research, if approximately eight million Americans at a higher risk of lung cancer (those exposed to contaminated air, etc.) underwent screening, the United States would be able to save nearly 25,000 lives.

This was partially due to the tobacco industry’s assertions that tobacco was entirely harmless and the fact that physicians appeared in television advertisements promoting smoking.

According to the American Cancer Society, this list must include all current and former smokers, individuals over the age of 55, and those with documented exposure to carcinogenic toxins.

More than 7,000 delegates from 100 countries attend the World Conference on Lung Cancer (W.C.L.C.) to debate the latest developments in all chest cancers, including lung and tracheal (windpipe) cancers.

The American Cancer Society reports that mortality rates have consistently declined over the years, primarily as a result of advances in lung cancer treatments and rising public awareness of the dangers of smoking.

WORLD LUNG CANCER DAY DATES