LUNG CANCER: THE NEW TECHNOLOGY SURGERY IS IN AND THE OLD IS GOING OUT

Our Lungs' had a main function to help oxygen from the air we breathe be able to enter in the red blood cells. Red blood cells that carries oxygen go around to our body to be used by the cells of our organs and tissues. The lungs also help our body to get rid of CO2 gas when we breathe out.

Our lungs had a great function and help to make us alive, but think about this guys what will you do if something happen to your lungs or your find out that you have lung cancer.

Manila, Philippines, last August 20, 2015 – According to the Department of Health, lung cancer is responsible for the most number of malignancy-related deaths in the Country, and is showing no signs of relenting. In the last three decades, however, new technologies are offering healthcare practitioners options for greater accuracy, cost efficiency and overall, better outcomes for patients in the treatment of the disease. In line with its mission to provide quality health care through state-of-the-art facilities for Filipinos, the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) hosted a symposium to discuss the state of the disease in the Country, and the latest treatments available.

Featuring presentations and panel discussions from experts that included Dr. Jose Luis J. Danguilan, Dr. Rey A. Desales, Dr. Guillermo B. Barroa, Jr., Dr. Camilo C. Pada, Dr. Antonio B. Ramos, andDr. Edmund Villaroman, founding members of the Philippine Association of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgeons (PAMITS), as well as Dr. Jun Paul Castolo, it was highlighted that while lung surgery has typically been performed using open procedures, the choice is increasingly becoming video-assisted thoracic surgery or VATS.

VATS is primarily utilized to treat conditions such as cancer, pneumothorax, infection, cysts and other thoracic disorders. Research has shown that VATS provides patients with significant benefits that includes minimizing surgical and health risks, allowing a speedier recovery with less scarring, less pain, and less complications.

Benefits of VATS

• While conventional thoracic surgery makes use of a large incision and requires rib spreading or breastbone splitting, VATS requires only small incisions and the guidance of a high-resolution camera. 
• Due to the minimal trauma, this procedure has shown to significantly reduce the complication rate during and after surgery, and decrease blood loss volume. 
• VATS-treated patients also showed a markedly reduced recovery time as compared to open thoracotomy - a 1 to 2 day hospital stay, where patients of a typical open thoracotomy require stays of 7 to 10 days.

Because VATS avoids the large chest incision and rib-spreading associated with a traditional thoracotomy, patients also rarely suffer from chronic and severe chest pains during and after surgery. Given these benefits, VATS is finding an ever-increasing role in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of thoracic disorders, and not just in the field of lung cancer.

“VATS has undoubtedly been one of the most significant advances in thoracic surgery over the last few decades,” shares Dr. Danguilan, Director for the Lung Center of the Philippines. “Within a relatively short period of time, VATS has replaced many procedures previously performed by traditional thoracotomy, or the open surgery option, due to its immense benefits and we foresee that technological advances will only continue to allow more minimally invasive procedures to be developed in the near future,” he added.

Knowing if VATS is right for you

The best candidates for the VATS procedure are individuals diagnosed with early stages of lung cancer. Patients with non-cancerous ailments of the lung are also considered for the procedure.

“All potential candidates are required to undergo thorough medical history screening and pre-operative tests in order to determine suitability for the VATS treatment,” shares Dr. Danguilan. “All surgeries present risks and possibilities for complications. Only the surgeon can determine if a VATS procedure is right for a patient,” he asserts.

Today, surgery is considered as the only curative treatment for early-stage lung cancer patients. VATS lobectomy has widely established itself as a viable – if not a more preferred – surgical approach to open lobectomy. In many countries worldwide, VATS has been routinely performed for the majority of patients with early stage lung cancer since the mid-1990s.

“We at the Lung Center are continuously seeking advanced procedural solutions in thoracic surgery that help equip surgeons to improve clinical outcomes and to enhance the quality of life for our patients. We hope that the positive results of these cases will lead to a greater adoption of VATS in the Country,“concludes Dr. Danguilan.

VATS SURGERY AREA

Risk factors for lung cancer include:

• Smoking. Your risk of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes you smoke each day and the number of years you have smoked. Quitting at any age can significantly lower your risk of developing lung cancer.
• Exposure to secondhand smoke. Even if you don't smoke, your risk of lung cancer increases if you're exposed to secondhand smoke.
• Exposure to radon gas. Radon is produced by the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water that eventually becomes part of the air you breathe. Unsafe levels of radon can accumulate in any building, including homes.
  Radon testing kits, which can be purchased at home improvement stores, can determine whether levels are safe. If unsafe levels are discovered, remedies are available.
• Exposure to asbestos and other chemicals. Workplace exposure to asbestos and other substances known to cause cancer — such as arsenic, chromium and nickel — also can increase your risk of developing lung cancer, especially if you're a smoker.
• Family history of lung cancer. People with a parent, sibling or child with lung cancer have an increased risk of the disease.
• Air Pollutant 

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lung-cancer/basics/risk-factors/con-20025531

You read about the risk factors of Lung Cancer and the newest trend technology in surgery VATS for this disease but think about this-this kind of procedure had very wonderful benefits but are you ready or have enough money for this. To be honest this kind of procedure is quite expensive, alam ko madami sa mga nagkakaroon ng ganitong sakit ay nasa low class level ng pamumuhay. But huwag mawawalan ng pag-asa dahil the Lung Center of the Philippines also accepting charity hospitalization. I know some of us is very realistic and matipid in terms of money matters, if you don't wanted to expense money so START MAKE A MOVE- have a healthy lifestyle, stop smoking if you are a smoker, go away or use handkerchief if you are expose to smoking or any air pollution and visit your doctor to have a regular check up to know if you are at risk for lung cancer.