– I’ve had pig luck. I’ve never won the lottery or anything, this is accumulated luck. I have gained many extra years in my life, says Arne Larsen. The screening of his lungs last autumn revealed a tiny cancerous tumour. Beforehand, he felt in good shape, had no symptoms, did not cough and was at full time at work. – I was scared when I got the message. Just google it and you will understand the seriousness, says Larsen. Shortly after the screening, the cancerous tumor was operated on in the autumn. A few days ago he had a check-up. The result showed zero cancer cells left. Life is no longer put on hold. Arne Larsen is among 1,000 people who were selected to participate in a research project for the early detection of lung cancer at Akershus University Hospital (Ahus). – After all, I had been a heavy smoker for many years, but it has been 7 years since I quit. I am happy about that today. Read also: Dramatic increase in cancer in people over 50 PILOT PROJECT: Senior doctor and associate professor Haseem Ashraf leads the pilot program with scanning of lungs to find cancer. Here together with radiographer Ingvild Vang Photo: Anne Cecilie Remen / news Cancer in Norway 2021 – some numbers Number of new cancer cases in 2021: 17,314 women (of which 2,036 aged 20-49) 19,684 men (of which 1,196 aged 20-49 year) Most frequently occurring forms of cancer, number of new cases 2021 Prostate cancer: 5188 Breast cancer: 4023 Lung cancer: 3499 Colon cancer: 3204 Skin cancer, non-melanoma: 3097 Deaths as a result of cancer 2020: Total: 10,981 deaths 5065 women 5916 men Most deaths by type of cancer 2020 Lung cancer : 2,168 Colon and rectal cancer: 1,524 Prostate cancer: 954 Pancreatic cancer: 771 Breast cancer (women): 591 Source: Cancer register, cancer statistics 2021 Fatal Haseem Ashraf, senior physician at Ahus shows us into one of the working rooms at the hospital. Between the PC and screens is a large white drum, a CT machine that the patients lie down in. The machine sends X-rays through the lungs in several layers like discs. The examination takes a few minutes, and afterwards radiologists and cancer specialists look for shadows and traces of suspicious tumors that could be cancer. – Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer both in Norway and internationally. By screening the lungs, we find cancer long before the disease produces symptoms and before it has the opportunity to spread. Therefore, we can cure the cancer, says Haseem Ashraf, who is project manager for the programme. As many as 2,100 die annually from lung cancer in Norway, people simply die because the cancer is discovered too late. – When lung cancer spreads to the bloodstream, lymph or other organs, it is too late to cure it. Then there will only be palliative treatment, emphasizes Haseem Ashraf. He says that they have found a higher proportion of cancer cases compared to previous European screening studies. In Norway, twice as many have been found compared to Denmark, for example. One of the reasons for this is that the project is targeted and includes participants with a higher probability of lung cancer. In a short time, 11 patients, one of them Arne, have been diagnosed with a malignant tumor in the lungs, while 80 are being followed up due to various findings. With the help of, among other things, surgery, everyone gets well because the cancer had not been allowed to develop. SCANNING: Senior doctor and associate professor Haseem Ashraf scans smokers and ex-smokers looking for lung cancer Photo: Anne Cecilie Remen / news Lungs juxtaposed with chest and intestines Ahus has selected the candidates according to several different factors, such as illness in the family, own history of illness, lifestyle, education and that they smoke a lot or have stopped smoking in the last ten years. – I quickly smoked 20-30 cigarettes a day. I quit one day, and have since had no desire for nicotine, nor snus, says Arne Larsen. Both the Norwegian Cancer Society and the doctors at Ahus want lung cancer screening to become a national measure in line with screening for breast, bowel and cervical cancer. But such programs are expensive, investment is needed in, among other things, medical equipment, doctors and radiographers. Economy to save lives – Screening reduces the chances of dying from lung cancer by up to 50 per cent among women and 26 per cent among men. It reduces several deaths, a lot of suffering and it is socially economical if we can reduce the need for treatment, says Ashraf. X-RAYS: Senior doctor Haseem Ashraf at the CT machine that sends X-rays through the lungs to detect cancer. Photo: Anne Cecilie Remen / news The Chief Medical Officer estimates that as many as hundreds of lung cancer patients will be saved in this country every year if there is a national screening programme.’ But is it right to spend a lot of money on people who have exposed themselves to the risks of smoking? – Yes, I think so. Because research shows that the risk of getting lung cancer is high a full ten years after you stop smoking. Many have made a conscious choice and stopped smoking. This group has paid billions in taxes to the state and many have started smoking at a time when this was more socially accepted, says Ashraf. But the Directorate of Health will not make any promises about lung screening. Division director Johan Torgersen in the Directorate of Health says this in an e-mail: – It is right that screening for lung cancer is discussed in the professional circles and lung cancer screening has also been dealt with in New methods. The Norwegian Directorate of Health has not taken a decision on whether we should start an investigation into such a screening programme. Arne Larsen is disappointed by the authorities’ unwillingness to provide such an offer to people who have smoked a lot. – I am so grateful for this. I was given the opportunity to be treated and get well, to return to work and live the life I love. I wish others to experience the treatment I received, says Arne Larsen. Read also: Must screen cancer patients. –
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Cancer discovered in Arne before he noticed it himself – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
