Health Update: Health Update: Barry Manilow has lung cancer. What to know – What Experts Say– What Experts Say.
Sharing stories of lung cancer through photography
Photographer Paul Ninson captures everyday life of patients with lung cancer.
GET Creative, USA TODAY
Barry Manilow is recovering after catching a “cancerous spot” on his lung early.
The 82-year-old singer revealed on Instagram that a lengthy bout with bronchitis led to the discovery of the cancer spot.
“Even though I was over the bronchitis and back on stage at the Westgate Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to make sure that everything was OK,” he wrote in the Instagram statement. “The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my left lung that needs to be removed. It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early. That’s the good news.”
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, and the second most common cancer diagnosis, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Here’s what you need to know about the disease.
How common is lung cancer?
Lung cancer mostly occurs in older people. Most diagnosed with the condition are 65 or older, according to the American Cancer Society. It is responsible for about 1 in 5 of all cancer deaths. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined.
Screening for lung cancer is paramount. The earlier you catch the disease, the better the chances of survival, Dr. Saiama N. Waqar, a professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and thoracic medical oncologist at Siteman Cancer Center, previously told USA TODAY.
The biggest risk of lung cancer is smoking. It’s estimated that 85% of lung cancer deaths are smoking-related, according to the American Cancer Society. Former smokers are also still at risk. “Even if somebody quits (smoking), their risk doesn’t go to zero. They still need to be evaluated,” Waqar said.
Manilow was a smoker for 30 years. “I started when I was 9 years old. I grew up in Brooklyn,” he told The Evening Standard.
What are the symptoms of lung cancer?
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of lung cancer include:
- A new cough that doesn’t go away.
- Chest pain.
- Coughing up blood, even a small amount.
- Hoarseness.
- Shortness of breath.
- Wheezing.
Signs and symptoms that happen when lung cancer spreads to other parts of the body may include:
- Bone pain.
- Headache.
- Losing weight without trying.
- Loss of appetite.
- Swelling in the face or neck.
What actions can you take to prevent lung cancer?
The number of new lung cancer cases is decreasing, and so are the number of deaths, due to advances in early detection and treatment, and because more people are quitting smoking or not starting at all.
To reduce your risk of lung cancer, the No. 1 action you can take is to not smoke. “If you’re not smoking right now, don’t smoke. And if you are smoking, quit smoking,” Waqar said. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has provided resources to help quit smoking, including access to counseling services. Where possible, you should also try to avoid secondhand smoke.
Additionally, because exposure to radon gas and asbestos are risk factors for lung cancer, the CDC recommends getting your home tested for radon and taking measures to reduce occupational exposures to carcinogens like asbestos.
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, Caroline C. Boyle