Actor Sanjay Dutt is suffering from stage 3 lung cancer. He visited Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital last week after experiencing difficulty in breathing. Though his COVID-19 report came negative, Sanjay Dutt was diagnosed with another deadly disease, which is lung cancer. He will be flying to the U.S. soon to get the required treatment to overcome the disease. According to the reports, Sanjay Dutt’s condition is curable and needs immediate treatment for a speedy recovery.

Undoubtedly, this news came as a shock to everyone. But, lung cancer introduces itself this way only. Early detection of lung cancer is rare. Mostly, the deadly condition is detected after reaching the advanced stage when the recovery rate becomes extremely low. Here, we tell you the reason behind it.

His diagnosis revealed that he was suffering from stage four lung cancer. “When he was taken to the hospital, he was low on oxygen saturation. But when his Covid-19 report came negative, he run cancer analysis and it came positive,” said a source from the hospital. When contacted his treating doctor, Dr Jalil Parker, refused to make any comment on it citing patient confidentiality.

On Tuesday, Sanjay Dutt had announced that he was taking a ‘short break’ from work for ‘some medical treatment’. “Hi friends, I am taking a short break from work for some medical treatment.” The Khalnaayak actor further said “My family and friends are with me and I urge my well-wishers not to worry or unnecessarily speculate. With your love and good wishes, I will be back soon!”

What is lung cancer?

For the unversed, lung cancer is among the leading causes of cancer deaths in both men and women. As is known cancer occurs when cells in a person’s body grow out of control. When the cancer starts in the lungs, it is referred to as lung cancer. This type of cancer may often spread to lymph nodes or other organs in the body. And many times, cancer, which originally starts in some other organ, can also spread to the lungs.

It is widely known that people who smoke are more prone to lung cancer. In fact, many times people exposed to secondhand smoke can also have lung cancer (due to prolonged exposure). When one smokes, it gradually damages cells in the lungs lining. Cigarettes have carcinogens and that’s the reason there is enough warning about the ill effects of the poor lifestyle habit. Smoking can lead to change in lung tissues almost as soon as you start smoking. Having said that, lung cancer can also happen to people who have never smoked.

The body’s natural defence mechanism tries to repair the damage but with prolonged exposure, the cells that line the lungs get increasingly damaged and eventually it can lead to cancer.

The signs and symptoms of both types of cancer resemble those of bronchitis or pneumonia. That is why people usually ignore them and try to get rid of the symptoms through common medicines available for these two conditions. They get themselves tested only after their conditions become critical and they start experiencing complications of lung cancer. This is the reason why lung cancer is detected only after it has reached the advance stage.

It is advised to everyone to get their lungs tested every year after reaching the age of 50. Heavy smokers should either quit smoking or keep getting tested for cancer every 6 months. A doctor conducts certain tests like imaging test, sputum cytology, or/and biopsy to confirm the condition. The treatment is provided based on the type of lung cancer you are suffering from and the stage at which it has been diagnosed.

Symptoms of lung cancer

Lung cancer doesn’t show any visible signs or symptoms when it is in the early stages. The common signs can be

A persistent cough that refuses to go away

Coughing up blood

Breathlessness

Chest pain

Unexplained weight loss

Pain in the bones

If you experience these signs persistently, it is always advised to visit a doctor.