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From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n
Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNHS England is set to introduce a pioneering liquid biopsy blood test, offering new hope to lung and breast cancer patients.<\/p>\n
The innovative test, a world-first, will analyse tumour DNA fragments circulating in the bloodstream, enabling doctors to prescribe personalised treatments more swiftly. It is expected that 15,000 patients will benefit from the rollout each year.<\/p>\n
By identifying specific genetic mutations, the liquid biopsy eliminates the need for traditional tissue biopsies in many cases, reducing wait times and enabling quicker access to targeted therapies.<\/p>\n
The test will initially be used for lung cancer patients, but officials have confirmed that it will also be used for breast cancer patients to detect a wider range of genetic variants to see if they are eligible for targeted treatment.<\/p>\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>The new NHS rollout could help thousands of cancer patients a year (Getty Images\/iStockphoto)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nFollowing a pilot which involved 10,000 people with non-small cell lung cancer (the most common type), the test is being expanded, with hopes that could be used for other types of cancer in the future.<\/p>\n
This marks an exciting breakthrough in cancer research \u2013 but how familiar are you with the basics of lung cancer? We\u2019ve enlisted the help of some experts to explain its main causes and highlight 9 common symptoms we should all be aware of.<\/p>\n
What causes lung cancer?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\u201cLung cancer is a disease where uncontrolled cell growth occurs in the lung leading to tumours,\u201d explains Dr Jenny Messenger, consultant in respiratory and general medicine at Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital. \u201cSadly, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the UK.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has lots of potential causes, but the main one is smoking. It can also have some genetic causes and is linked to pollution, obesity, asbestos exposure and certain work-based chemicals.\u201d<\/p>\n\nSymptoms of lung cancer<\/h2>\nNHS<\/h3>\nThe main symptoms of lung cancer include:<\/p>\n
\na cough that does not go away after 3 weeks <\/li>\n a long-standing cough that gets worse <\/li>\n chest infections that keep coming back <\/li>\n coughing up blood <\/li>\n an ache or pain when breathing or coughing <\/li>\n persistent breathlessness <\/li>\n persistent tiredness or lack of energy <\/li>\n loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nLung cancer is most commonly diagnosed with a chest CT scan, and early diagnosis is crucial.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can be tempting to put changes down to getting older or another health condition,\u201d says Dr Rachel Orritt, health information manager at Cancer Research UK. \u201cBut, it\u2019s important to get your doctor\u2019s advice if you notice anything that\u2019s not normal for you or isn\u2019t going away. In most cases it won\u2019t be cancer, but if it is, catching it at an early stage can make a real difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here are 9 signs of lung cancer that you shouldn\u2019t ignore\u2026<\/p>\n
1. Feeling breathless<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>If you are struggling to catch your breath, you should be checked out (PA)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\u201cThis could be feeling short of breath when doing activities that you used to do with no problem, or having other difficulties breathing,\u201d says Orritt.<\/p>\n
2. Chest infection<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\u201cAnother sign is a chest infection that keeps coming back, doesn\u2019t go away, or doesn\u2019t get better with treatment,\u201d notes Orritt.<\/p>\n
3. A long-lasting cough<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\u201cThis could be a cough that\u2019s not gone away or not responded to treatment,\u201d highlights Orritt. \u201cIt could also be a change or worsening of a cough that you\u2019ve had for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
4. Coughing up blood<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\u201cThis could be blood in phlegm, even if it\u2019s only a small amount,\u201d says Orritt.<\/p>\n
5. Feeling tired for no reason<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\u201cThis could be tiredness that doesn\u2019t go away with rest, or feeling tired when doing activities you used to do with no problem,\u201d explains Orritt.<\/p>\n
6. Losing weight without trying to<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\u201cAnother red flag is losing weight without changing your eating patterns or your activity levels,\u201d says Orritt.<\/p>\n
7. Loss of appetite<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Loss of appetite could be a sign that something is wrong (PA)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\u201cThis could be not feeling hungry as much as you used to, or not wanting to eat as much food as you would usually,\u201d notes Orritt.<\/p>\n
8. Unexplained pain<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\u201cA symptom which can be surprising to some and easier to overlook is shoulder pain that gets progressively worse,\u201d says Messenger. \u201cConstant chest pain that gets progressively worse can also be a warning sign.\u201d<\/p>\n
9. Voice changes\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\u201cAnother lesser known symptom is a hoarse voice or change in voice that does not settle after four to six weeks,\u201d says Messenger.<\/p>\n
What are the treatment options?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\u201cTreatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiotherapy,\u201d says Messenger.<\/p>\n
Can it be prevented?<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, lung cancer can be prevented, especially in the cases where the person is a smoker, by stopping smoking at the earliest opportunity,\u201d highlights Messenger. \u201cThose struggling with quitting smoking should enquire for support at their GP, in the first instance.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more NHS England is set to introduce a pioneering liquid biopsy blood test, offering new hope to lung and breast cancer patients. The innovative test, a world-first, will analyse tumour DNA fragments circulating in the bloodstream, enabling doctors to prescribe personalised treatments more swiftly. It is expected that 15,000 patients will benefit from the rollout each year. By identifying specific genetic mutations, the liquid biopsy eliminates the need for traditional tissue biopsies in many cases, reducing wait times and enabling quicker access to targeted therapies. The test will initially be used for lung cancer patients, but officials have confirmed that it will also be used for breast cancer patients to detect a wider range of genetic variants to see if they are eligible for targeted treatment. open image in gallery The new NHS rollout could help thousands of cancer patients a year (Getty Images\/iStockphoto) Following a pilot which involved 10,000 people with non-small cell lung cancer (the most common type), the te…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2223,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2222"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2222"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2222\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}