Mahaska Health Partnership Observes Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Mahaska Health Partnership
MAHASKA COUNTY – Since the first Lung Cancer Awareness day in 1995, the lung cancer movement has grown from a single day to an entire month of awareness activities.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, more people die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. Fortunately, the number of deaths from lung cancer is decreasing.
“The best way to decrease your risk of being diagnosed with lung cancer is to quit smoking,” advised MHP Respiratory Therapist Kim Powell, RRT. “Smoking causes nearly nine out of 10 lung cancer deaths.”
Lung cancer can be hard to detect at first because the early stages rarely show any signs or symptoms. As the cancer progresses, people may notice a persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, blood producing cough or fatigue.
There are two main types of lung cancer; small cell and non-small cell, explains the CDC. Small cell lung cancer is the more common of the two and each are treated differently. Treatments include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery and targeted therapy.
“If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, your doctor will work with you about behavior changes you can make along with medical treatments,” said Powell. “Some of these include quitting smoking, avoiding secondhand smoke, eating a healthy diet and exercising.”
Mahaska Health Partnership, located in Oskaloosa, is a non-profit health system accredited by the Joint Commission. It is guided by its mission to provide exceptional customer service and health improvement, linking the science of medicine with the humanity of compassionate care. For more information about how Mahaska Health Partnership is making healthcare personal, call 641-672-3240 or visit www.mahaskahealth.org.
