Middle-aged people more likely to be diagnosed with late stage lung cancer: Study

Zee Media Bureau

London: A new study has revealed that middle-aged people between ages 50 to 64 are at the greater risk of developing late stage of lung cancer than older patients.

David Kennedy, data and research analyst at Cancer Research UK, a cancer charity says, 'Our results show that younger patients in their 50s and early 60s are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced lung cancer compared to patients in older age groups'.

He added that further analysis will focus on understanding this relationship to see if a similar pattern is present for other types of cancer.

The researchers have examined the records of around 34,000 lung cancer patients in England in 2013, to explore the association of early and late stage lung cancer and age.

"It's not clear exactly why younger patients are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, but what's important is that the disease is caught early,” Julie Sharp, head of health and patient information at Cancer Research UK, noted.

"Signs of lung cancer can include a cough that won't go away or being short of breath. It's vital that when people spot something unusual for them, they go to their doctor as soon as possible. Detecting cancer early is crucial as it offers the best chance of successfully treating the disease," Sharp said.

The findings are scheduled to be presented at the Cancer Outcomes and Data Conferenc 2016 in Manchester on Tuesday.

(With IANS inputs)