LUNG CANCER MORTALITY ANALYSIS
This dataset contains data about Lung Cancer Mortality.
This dataset is a comprehensive collection of patient information, specifically focused on individuals diagnosed with cancer. It is designed to facilitate the analysis of various factors that may influence cancer prognosis and treatment outcomes. The dataset includes a range of demographic, medical, and treatment-related variables, capturing essential details about each patient’s condition and history with the aim of improving cancer treatment and patient care.
WHAT IS LUNG CANCER?
Lung cancer is a type of cancer that originates in the tissues of the lungs, typically in the cells lining the air passages. It is one of the most common and serious types of cancer, characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in the lung tissue, which can form tumors and interfere with normal lung function.
RISK FACTORS OF LUNG CANCER
Smoking: The leading cause of lung cancer, responsible for the majority of cases. Both active smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke increase risk.
Exposure to Radon Gas: Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate in homes and buildings.
Exposure to Asbestos and Other Carcinogens: Occupational exposure to asbestos, certain chemicals, and other substances can increase the risk.
Family History: A family history of lung cancer can increase the risk.
Air Pollution: Long-term exposure to polluted air can increase the risk, particularly in urban areas.
INSIGHTS GENERATED FROM ANALYSIS
From this dataset, 3,250,000 million individuals were diagnosed with lung cancer between 2014 through 2024 in 27 countries with a maximum age of 104 years and a minimum age of 4 years old, male and female inclusive.
We have patients who have progressed from stage I(1) to stage IV(4) of lung cancer. The following treatment types have been administered:
Radiation
Surgery
Chemotherapy
A Combination Of All
With Chemotherapy standing out as the most used treatment type and a combination of all as the least used.
Out of total patients diagnosed, 714,000 patients survived leaving us with a total of 2,536,280 non survivors which amounts to 78% patients who lost their lives.
Something noteworthy though,
Is the fact that out of the 2,536,280 patients who lost their lives, 633,810 patients had never smoked.
Despite the fact that smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, these individuals who had never smoked still died which leads to the big question:
1. Why were they diagnosed with lung cancer and eventually died?
To provide answers to this question, we dug deeper into the medical history of these individuals and we discovered other factors that could lead to lung cancer or death in general.
•Body Mass Index (BMI): 437,698 patients had a BMI of 25.0 and above which is considered to be High. Obesity is associated with chronic inflammation, which can contribute to the development of various cancers, including lung cancer. Obesity can impair immune function, reducing the body’s ability to detect and destroy cancer cells.
53,753 patients had a BMI of 18.5 and below which is considered to be Low. Low BMI can be associated with poor nutrition, which can weaken the immune system and reduce the body’s ability to fight off cancerous changes.
•Other Cancers: Out of all the patients who had never smoked, 56,070 had other cancers which must have contributed to the cause of death. Cancers from other parts of the body can metastasize to the lungs. This means that cancer cells from a primary tumor (e.g., breast, colon, prostate) travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to the lungs, forming secondary tumors. This is not lung cancer originating in the lungs but rather metastatic disease. If an individual has had another type of smoking-related cancer, their risk of lung cancer is also increased.
•Family History: 316,875 of the 633,810 patients who had never smoked had a family history of lung cancer. A family history can however increase the risk of lung cancer in an individual.
•Asthma: Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways. Chronic inflammation in the lungs is a risk factor for several types of cancer, including lung cancer. The persistent inflammatory state might contribute to cellular changes that could potentially increase cancer risk over time. While smoking is not a cause of asthma, it can exacerbate the condition. Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. Asthmatics who smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoke are at a higher risk of lung cancer.
Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, however, other factors can contribute to its diagnosis like family history, high and low BMI, unusual cholesterol, and other cancerous cells present in the body. In preventing lung cancer, patients are however advised to avoid smoking and maintain general good health in general as other conditions could weaken the immune system and give way to various diseases.
The general public is also advised to go for regular medical checkups to detect any sort of malfunctions as early as possible. From our analysis, about 1,600,000 patients had not discovered the condition until it had escalated to stages III & IV. Taking preventive measures and proper health examinations is one way to ease the situation.
