Stop smoking – free cessation treatments available in Guyana

Smoking can lead to numerous health issues, including one of the deadliest cancers affecting a critical organ – the lung.
According to local doctors attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital, a major preventative measure is to stop smoking.

Dr Cheetanand Mahadeo, a general and thoracic surgeon at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, told the News Room on Friday that lung cancer has a very low survival rate and is often diagnosed too late, but prevention remains key.

“If you can stop smoking, you’re doing yourself a great favour,” Dr Mahadeo said.

Cancer symptoms often replicate other illnesses. In the case of lung cancer, a person may experience weight loss and coughing up blood. After the cancerous cells have taken root, individuals may not identify symptoms until the cancer-infected lungs can no longer carry out their functions.

Lung cancer treatment is currently facilitated through a multi-disciplinary system, with the medical, thoracic, and oncology departments working simultaneously to diagnose, treat, and prevent further spread.

“What needs to be done is a lot more than what we have to offer… we don’t have a screening programme; we do our screening based on what we know, but we don’t have a national screening programme,” he said.

Dr Cedel Thom-Fernandes, a medical specialist at the hospital, said anyone with lungs can develop this cancer.

“There are people who are at risk for lung cancer, particularly those who smoke or are exposed to smoking. There is also occupational exposure. Once you are exposed, we tell the person they should get screened,” Dr Thom-Fernandes said.

Screening often entails a chest x-ray or low-dose CT scan, along with other pulmonary function tests, which provide doctors with relevant data to advise on diagnosis and management. Treatment may include surgery to remove cancerous cells and infection, chemotherapy, or radiation, depending on the stage of the cancer.

Dr Kandecy Archer-Austin noted that persons who receive treatment and have a good prognosis are likely to live five years longer than those who do not receive treatment.

“A cancer diagnosis does not mean that it’s a death sentence,” Dr Archer-Austin said.

Importantly, smoking cessation programmes across the country provide free treatment options, including Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). Persons can access these services by speaking with their physician and requesting a referral, or by visiting healthcare centres across the country.