Asiri Hospital’s new Thoracic Centre fights lung cancer with early diagnosis

Offering patients the highest level of screening expertise, ensuring speed of diagnosis and comprehensive treatment, Asiri Hospital’s new Thoracic Centre is committed to improving patient outcomes with this often fatal disease.

The Centre, led by the country’s foremost thoracic surgeon Dr. Waruna Karunaratne, also includes a multidisciplinary care team of trained thoracic surgeons, a physician, oncologist, pathologist and support staff who collaborate to diagnose lung cancer.

Receiving an accurate diagnosis during the early stages of lung disease dramatically improves treatment outcomes and crucially makes it easier to treat, helping to save lives.

According to medical experts, lung cancer is recognised as the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country, especially among males.  

Awareness is the critical first step towards saving lives. Awareness is not just understanding what lung disease is, but also knowing its risk factors and talking to doctors about risks and screening options.

Lung cancer is a very complex disease and for too many people, it is found by chance. Unfortunately, most people who develop lung cancer, symptoms do not manifest until it has become more advanced. 

While smoking is the no. 1 risk factor, including pipe and passive smoking, there are other risk factors, notes Dr. Karunaratne. 

“Arsenic in food and drink, those with familial traits can be prone, exposure to radiation, asbestos, even plumbing and insulation, those over 40 years, especially those aged 60-70 as cancer preponderance is greater. Others in the danger group are people with chronic lung diseases; those with obstructive air diseases including asthma can also be at risk,” he said.

Stressing on the need to address early warning signs, Dr. Karunaratne said: “Only 5% of lung patients are diagnosed. This is due to the fact that the common symptoms are ignored. The symptoms we need to be careful about is a cough that has lasted three weeks where more investigation is needed, chest pain when coughing, breathing difficulties, haemoptysis or the coughing up of blood, and sudden onset of adult wheezing should not be ignored.” 

Despite the fact that these symptoms can occur due to other causes, and don’t automatically indicate cancer, early diagnosis means a more positive prognosis. 

Commenting on investigations for early detection according, Dr. Karunaratne said: “A chest x-ray, bronchoscopy and even a CT scan. If something is noticed in the lung, a histological diagnosis must be taken.” 

At Asiri Hospital’s Thoracic Centre, patients benefit through access to the highly trained team of experts. Their multidisciplinary approach provides all the necessary expertise under one roof, helping patients with ease of access and the most comprehensive approach to their care.

Aided by the latest technology and clinical collaboration, most lung cancer treatment is through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Thoracoscopy reduces the operating time and patients are able to resume normal activities within a few days with mortality rates at only 0.5%, he added.