It is the responsibility of all of us to help reduce the incidence of lung cancer and improve the health of the population. Knowledge and prevention save lives, the Hellenic Pulmonary Society says, on the occasion of World Cancer Day.

It is actively involved in informing and raising public awareness by implementing actions in cooperation with bodies or other scientific companies. In this context, it organizes on February 5 in Ioannina, a scientific workshop open to the public, on the prevention of lung cancer, one of the most serious diseases of our time, which is associated by 90% to the smoking habit. The scientific conference is organized under the auspices of the Epirus Region and the Medical Association of Ioannina, in collaboration with the University Clinic of the University Hospital of Ioannina and the Municipality of Ioannina.

Underlining the importance of prevention and early diagnosis, the Municipality of Ioannina will today proceed with a symbolic move to support the conference, illuminating the Ioannina Town Hall.

During lectures by approved pulmonologists, issues such as screening, diagnosis and cancer management, smoking cessation will be highlighted.

“Lung cancer remains one of the biggest challenges for both public health and pulmonology. However, we now have important tools to prevent and deal with it, “says Stelios Loukidis, Pulmonologist – Tuberculter, Professor of Medical School, Professor of Nursing School, Director of the Second Pulmonary Clinic” Atticon “, President Ltd.

Referring to the Ioannina seminar, Mr. Loukidis notes that the aim of the EIA is to raise public awareness of the importance of preventing lung cancer that is largely combined with smoking and stopping it. “Early diagnosis and progress in treatment are our strong allies in dealing with the disease,” he says.

Air pollution is the second risk factor for lung cancer after smoking, says Konstantinos Kostikas, Professor of Pulmonology of the University of Ioannina, Director of University Pulmonary Clinic. He adds that air pollution is responsible for more than 1 in 10 cases of lung cancer, stressing that “improving air quality must be a goal of all of us”.

He added that “lung cancer, the most deadly cancer on the planet and the most common in men and second most common in women, has begun to change face in recent years. This is due to early diagnosis in early stages that lead to radical treatment, but also to the newer targeted treatments for patients with advanced disease, who can convert it into chronic disease for some patients. “

Screenal control saves lives

The importance of the use of low dose computed tomography in the context of the fatal development of lung cancer, underlines John Giozos, Pulmonologist, Academic Fellowship of EKPA, Oncology Unit III PP, ” , LTD:

“Supervisional control of lung cancer can save lives, preventing carcinogenesis at the beginning. There are nowadays of sufficient scientific data that argue that low dose chest computed tomography when it is performed in specific population groups and in an organized scientific context can prevent the deadly evolution of the malignant lung. We hope soon in our country that our fellow humans will be able to hope for the prevention of lung cancer. “

Therapeutic options

Immunotherapy is an option that has not existed in previous years in the treatment of lung cancer and has changed the landscape for the better. Mr. Lefteris Zervas, Coordinator of the 7th Pulmonary Clinic of GNNTHA “Salvation”, Athens, Treasurer Ltd., explains:

“Lung cancer is an epidemic of our times with a great impact on society. In recent years there has been significant progress in the field of medical research on lung cancer treatments, with immunotherapy being one of our main therapeutic choices. The use of immunotherapy initially in the metastatic stages of the disease has helped to increase the survival of patients with lung cancer to levels that we didn’t even imagine a few years ago. In recent years, immunotherapy has been added to our choices in the treatment of early lung cancer before, after surgery or even perioperatively, significantly increasing the likelihood of a patient to live without relapse of the disease for a much longer period. “