Lung cancer screening is crucial for HIV-positive smokers, experts say
Health experts say HIV-infected people who smoke are at high risk for developing lung cancer
The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) has called on healthcare workers to increase lung cancer screening for HIV-positive people who are heavy smokers.
Health experts say HIV-infected people who smoke are at high risk for developing lung cancer. The forum says HIV- infected individuals with high smoking rates should stop the risky habit.
HIV-infected individuals should also be encouraged to quit smoking," said the society in a statement.
In Kenya, tobacco is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases. It accounts for over 50 per cent of hospital admissions in Kenya.
Tobacco is also a risk factor for cancer of the lungs, throat, mouth, and skin – as well as kidney diseases among many other debilitating health conditions.
Tobacco is also associated with reproductive problems such as infertility, impotence, miscarriages and low libido.
At the same time, sudden infant deaths among tobacco farmers and persistent skin conditions and green-leaf disease have been reported in Western Kenya where tobacco is grown on a large scale.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer, worldwide, accounting for 1.8 million deaths in 2020.
About one million of these deaths occurred among non-users, including children and women, resulting from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.
Most tobacco-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries like Kenya, affecting people below the age of 70 years who are among the productive members of the society hence retarding and reversing the social and economic development of affected countries.
Health officials say that tobacco contains nicotine which is highly addictive, making tobacco users dependent on products that deliver more than 7,000 poisonous chemicals found in cigarettes.
These chemicals include cancer-causing agents, toxins, flavourings and aromatics which are harmful to human health.
Kenya has made tremendous efforts to implement key demand reduction strategies including the ban on smoking in public places to achieve smoke-free air and the ban on the sale of tobacco products to children among others.
"As antiretrovirals have prolonged the lives of people with HIV and made it more like a chronic disease, lung cancer has emerged as a leading cause of death in smokers infected with HIV," said American Thoracic Society President Gregory Downey.
“Lung cancer is a major and preventable cause of death.
Screening done by chest CT scans, as well as stepped-up smoking cessation efforts, may slow this trend," said Mr Downey.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among those with HIV/AIDS worldwide, and HIV-positive patients who smoke die at a significantly younger age than those who do not.
Studies show that lung cancer occurs more often among people living with HIV than among the general population.
Some geographic regions are especially hard hit by both HIV and lung cancer.
Sub-Saharan Africa is home to approximately half of the world's HIV-positive population which stands at 20 million.
These individuals have three times the incidence of lung cancer of people without HIV.
Several sub-Saharan regions have seen increases in the incidence of lung cancer in recent years. However, the need stands in great contrast to the limited resources and access to care in these regions.
It is critical that governments and health systems prioritise greater access and ongoing awareness campaigns to see improvements in lung cancer care.
People living with HIV have a higher risk of lung cancer than the general population. However, many people with this malignancy do not have symptoms at the early stages.
Symptoms of lung cancer include persistent coughs, coughing up blood, chest pain, wheezing, hoarseness, fatigue or weakness, unexplained weight loss, unexplained pain, and recurring lung infections like pneumonia.
