Late-Stage Spotlight: How Many Patients in China Are Affected by “Top-Ranked” Lung Cancer?

If we were to rank all cancers,

which would come out on top?

That's right,lung cancer

As the“top-ranked”cancer,

it truly lives up to its title.

The National Cancer Center released

the"2024 National Cancer Report"showing

that in terms of both incidence and mortality,

lung cancer ranks first—

far ahead of other cancers.




Lung cancer,also called primary bronchogenic carcinoma,is the most common malignant tumor of the lungs,originating from the tracheal or bronchial mucosa or glands.Based on histopathology,lung cancer is mainly divided into non-small cell carcinoma(including adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma)and small cell carcinoma.

The clinical symptoms of lung cancer depend on the tumor’s size,type,stage,location,and whether complications or metastases are present.In general:

Early symptoms:The most common early sign is a persistent cough,often dry and irritating,with little or no phlegm.

Symptoms from local tumor growth:Cough,blood in the sputum or hemoptysis,shortness of breath,and fever.

Symptoms from invasion of nearby organs or tissues:Chest pain,hoarseness,pleural effusion,and other related signs.

Additional symptoms:About 1%of patients may experience paraneoplastic manifestations such as acanthosis nigricans,dermatomyositis,scleroderma,or hyperkeratosis.

Early-stage lung cancer often shows no specific symptoms.Some patients may only have mild respiratory issues,which can easily be mistaken for a common cold or bronchitis.By the time noticeable symptoms appear,many cases have already progressed to middle or advanced stages..

Early detection and treatment are therefore critical for preventing and managing lung cancer.Current standard treatments include surgery,radiation therapy,chemotherapy,targeted therapy,and immunotherapy.


Because of their small molecular size,hydrogen molecules can diffuse directly through cell membranes into tissues,where they exert antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,and anti-apoptotic effects[1].These selective properties show promising potential for lung cancer treatment and as an adjunct therapy.

For this reason,researchers from institutions including the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University and Fuda Cancer Hospital have conducted related studies and found that:

Hydrogen–oxygen gas inhibits lung cancer progression by downregulating SMC3,a chromosome condensation regulator,offering a new approach for lung cancer therapy[2].

It has a suppressive effect on lung cancer cell growth,likely through inhibition of Ki-67,COX-2,and VEGF protein expression[3].

Inhalation of a hydrogen–oxygen mixture can help control tumor progression and reduce adverse drug reactions in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)[4].

Immunosenescence in advanced NSCLC affects nearly all lymphocyte subsets,and just two weeks of hydrogen–oxygen inhalation can significantly improve most of these immune indicators[5].

Furthermore,the book Hydrogen Controls Cancer—Theory and Practice reviewed the follow-up results of 82 cancer patients who participated in a Real-World Evidence(RWE)clinical project using hydrogen–oxygen generators.Most of these patients had no remaining options for conventional treatment.After a period of hydrogen–oxygen inhalation,some patients experienced significant symptom improvement,while others achieved a stable condition.


References:

[1]I.Ohsawa,et al.,Hydrogen acts as a therapeutic antioxidant by selectively reducing cytotoxic oxygen radicals,Nat.Med.13(6)(2007)688–694.

[2]Wang et al.Hydrogen gas inhibits lung cancer progression through targeting SMC3.Biomedicine&Pharmacotherapy.2018 Aug;104:788-797

[3]Wang et al.Effect and mechanism of hydrogen suppressing non-small cell lung cancer.International Journal of Respiratory Medicine.2018 April;38(8):561-565

[4]Chen et al.Hydrogen therapy can be used to control tumor progression and alleviate the adverse events of medications in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.Medical Gas Research.2020;10(2):75-80

[5]Chen et al.Two weeks of hydrogen inhalation can significantly reverse adaptive and innate immune system senescence in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer:A self-controlled study.a self-controlled study.Medical Gas Research.2020;10(4):149-154