National Respiratory Care Week

The Respiratory Care Club at Seattle Central says that most people know that lung cancer is caused by smoking. And although smoking remains the top cause of lung cancer, responsible for 87 percent of all cases, other substances factor into the disease as well. According to the American Association for Respiratory Care, lung cancer may also be caused by radon, asbestos, arsenic and air pollution.

“The lion’s share of lung cancer still comes from the business end of a cigarette, and avoiding tobacco smoke either by quitting or, if you’re a nonsmoker, staying away from smoke, remains the number one way to steer clear of the disease,” says Max Ford, a student in the Respiratory Care program at Seattle Central.

Warning signs of lung cancer include a cough that doesn’t go away or gets worse; constant chest pain; coughing up blood; shortness of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness; repeated bouts of pneumonia or bronchitis; swelling of the neck or face; loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss; and fatigue. Unfortunately, the cancer is often far along before these signs develop. “That’s why staying away from tobacco is so important,” says Max. “if you are a smoker and quit, your risk levels off after 10 years and drops to 50 percent.”

For more information on lung health, visit the AARC’s consumer web site, http://www.yourlunghealth.org/.

Respiratory Therapists (RTs) are specially trained and licensed respiratory health care professionals assisting physicians in diagnosis, treatment, and management of respiratory diseases. RTs provide care in hospitals, outpatient centers, physicians’ offices, skilled nursing facilities, and patients’ homes. Seattle Central is home to one of only five Respiratory Care programs in the state of Washington.

Submitting by Scott Mahoney, Respiratory Care Clinical Director