Lung cancer cases among both men and women have increased by nearly 50 per cent over a 10-year period, according to an analysis of data from the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases in Welisara and the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), Consultant Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Saman Iddagoda said.

Addressing the media at the Health Promotion Bureau yesterday (4), Dr. Iddagoda said that lung cancer is becoming one of the major cancers among men and is also moving towards the top 10 cancers affecting women. He further said that, based on his analysis of data from Welisara and the NCCP, lung cancer accounted for the highest number of cancer-related deaths in Sri Lanka.

A major concern is that most patients sought medical attention only when the disease had reached an advanced stage. The majority of lung cancer patients treated at the Welisara Hospital are diagnosed at Stages III or IV, he said.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka recorded 2,142 lung cancer cases in 2023, with 1,521 cases reported among men and 621 among women, according to the National Cancer Registry.

Consultant Community Physician at the NCCP, Dr. Hasarali Fernando said that lung cancer is the third most common cancer among men in Sri Lanka, after oral and prostate cancers, accounting for approximately 12% of all cancers reported among men. She said that smoking remains one of the major preventable risk factors, with around 80%–90% of lung cancer cases associated with smoking, according to her estimates. Preventing smoking and encouraging smokers to quit could therefore help prevent a substantial proportion of cases. However, she stressed that lung cancer is not limited to smokers, as non-smokers could also develop the disease. Exposure to second-hand smoke is another important risk factor. She identified both outdoor and indoor air pollution as additional contributors to lung cancer. Outdoor air pollution is often linked to exhaust fumes from vehicles and emissions from industries, while indoor air pollution could result from the use of firewood and kerosene for cooking, particularly in poorly ventilated homes where smoke could accumulate. She noted that the World Health Organisation had identified both petrol and diesel engine exhaust fumes as carcinogenic to humans. Other risk factors included exposure to radon, a radioactive gas found in soil and some building materials, as well as occupational exposure to carcinogenic substances such as asbestos and silica. Certain long-term respiratory conditions could also increase the risk of developing lung cancer. Dr. Fernando emphasised that lung cancer could be treated successfully if detected at an early stage, making awareness of its risk factors and the importance of early diagnosis essential. She stressed that avoiding smoking is one of the most important steps that people could take to reduce their risk of lung cancer.