(BPT) - - If you think lung cancer only affects smokers, you’re not alone. Many people believe this, but the truth is, anyone can get lung cancer. You can be young or old, male or female, a smoker or a non-smoker.
Laura McCracken, 35 and a non-smoker, learned this firsthand. A lingering cough sent her to many doctors in search of answers. Because lung cancer is hard to detect, hers had already reached a late stage by the time they found it.
kAm(:E9 E96 96=A @7 72>:=J 2?5 7C:6?5D[ |4rC24<6? C6D62C4965 96C @AE:@?D] $96 =62C?65 E92E =F?8 42?46C :D?’E ;FDE @?6 EJA6 @7 42?46C] x? 724E[ E96C6 2C6 >2?J 5:776C6?E <:?5D] %96 EJA6 @7 =F?8 42?46C 2 A6CD@? 92D 56A6?5D @? E96 86?6E:4 >2<6\FA @7 E96 A6CD@?’D EF>@C] $96 2=D@ =62C?65 23@FE ?6H D4:6?E:7:4 5:D4@G6C:6D[ :?4=F5:?8 >@=64F=2C E6DE:?8 7@C 3:@>2C<6CD] %96D6 E6DED 4@F=5 F?4@G6C E96 2=E6C65 86?6D E92E H6C6 42FD:?8 96C EJA6 @7 =F?8 42?46C E@ 8C@H] p?5 E92E 4@F=5 A@DD:3=J 27764E 96C EC62E>6?E A=2?]k^Am
kAm$96 925 96C EF>@C E6DE65 7@C 3:@>2C<6CD 2?5 8@E E96 C6DF=ED 2 76H H66<D =2E6C] |4rC24<6?’D 42?46C H2D 36:?8 5C:G6? 3J @?6 A2CE:4F=2C 3:@>2C<6C 42==65 6A:56C>2= 8C@HE9 724E@C C646AE@C Wtvu#X] pC>65 H:E9 E9:D <?@H=6586[ 96C 5@4E@C C64@>>6?565 2 EC62E>6?E E2C86E65 E@ 96C DA64:7:4 42?46C EJA6] $96 4@?E:?F6D E@ A2CE:4:A2E6 :? 24E:G:E:6D D96 =@G6D 2?5 G@=F?E66CD :? E96 =F?8 42?46C 4@>>F?:EJ E@ 96=A :?DA:C6 2?5 6?4@FC286 @E96CD]k^Am
kAm“{F?8 42?46C :D 2D 5:776C6?E 2D E96 A6@A=6 H9@ 86E :E[” |4rC24<6? D2JD] “qJ <?@H:?8 >J DA64:7:4 3:@>2C<6C[ x 82:?65 4@?7:56?46 :? E96 2AAC@AC:2E6 EC62E>6?E 7@C >J 42?46C]”k^Am
kAmx? E96 A2DE[ H96? =F?8 42?46C H2D E9@F89E @7 2D @?6 5:D62D6[ E96 EC62E>6?E 2AAC@249 H2D “@?6\D:K6\7:ED\2==]” %@52J[ 5@4E@CD 6?4@FC286 E96:C A2E:6?ED E@ D66< @FE >@=64F=2C E6DE:?8] xE 42? 96=A E96> <?@H H96E96C 86?6E:4 492?86D >2J 36 5C:G:?8 E96:C A2CE:4F=2C 42?46C]k^Am
kAmsC] s2G:5 v2?52C2 @7 E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 r2=:7@C?:2 s2G:D r@>AC696?D:G6 r2?46C r6?E6C :D :?G@=G65 H:E9 2 ?2E:@?2= 42>A2:8? 42==65 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]=F?842?46CAC@7:=6D]4@>^Qm{F?8 r2?46C !C@7:=6Dk^2m] %96 AC@8C2> 2:>D E@ 492?86 E96 :>286 @7 =F?8 42?46C 2?5 C2:D6 2H2C6?6DD @7 >@=64F=2C E6DE:?8] xE :D 2 4@==23@C2E:@? 36EH66? !7:K6C ~?4@=@8J 2?5 %96 q@??:6 y] p552C:@ {F?8 r2?46C u@F?52E:@?[ {F?8 r2?46C p==:2?46[ {&}v6G:EJ[ {F?8 r2?46C u@F?52E:@? @7 p>6C:42[ }2E:@?2= {F?8 r2?46C !2CE?6CD9:A 2?5 &?:E:?8 p82:?DE {F?8 r2?46C]k^Am
kAm“~FC 8@2= :D E@ =62C? E96 ‘>@=64F=2C 7:?86CAC:?E’ @7 2 A2E:6?E’D 42?46C[” D2JD v2?52C2] “(6 ?@H 92G6 E96 23:=:EJ E@ ECF=J A6CD@?2=:K6 E96C2AJ 7@C D@>6 A2E:6?ED 32D65 @? E9:D ‘7:?86CAC:?E[’ 2?5 ?6H 5:D4@G6C:6D 2C6 36:?8 >256 2E 2 C2A:5 C2E6]”k^Am
kAmr@F=5 >@=64F=2C E6DE:?8 =625 E@ 2 >@C6 4FDE@>:K65 EC62E>6?E A=2? 7@C J@FC 42?46C[ @C 7@C D@>6@?6 J@F <?@Hn %6DE:?8 :D E96 @?=J H2J E@ <?@H] %2=< E@ J@FC 5@4E@C 23@FE H96E96C E6DE:?8 :D 2? @AE:@? 7@C J@F]k^Am
