Simple lung function tests available at GP can expose lung damage in smokers and help prevent death or disability
Around 80% of people suffering from long-term lung disease are unaware they have it, according to a report by Cancer Research UK.
Researchers found that the vast majority of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, are not being diagnosed.
The study looked at the results of saliva and lung function tests and questionnaires from 8,215 adults over 35 years old. Researchers identified 1,093 people with COPD, but eight out of 10 said they had not received diagnosis of any kind. Even for those with severe COPD, more than half had not been diagnosed.
Worryingly, the condition is strongly associated with lung cancer because both arise from long-term damage to lung tissue caused by smoking.
The study also found that smokers with COPD showed higher levels of dependence on cigarettes and smoked more than smokers without the disease.
Study author Professor Robert West, director of tobacco studies at Cancer Research UK, said it was important for smokers to know the signs of COPD. "Symptoms of COPD can be a smokers' cough or being a bit breathless on exertion. But many smokers think these are 'normal' symptoms of smoking and do not realise that they can be the beginnings of a disease which can leave them disabled or dead if they do not stop. It only requires a simple lung function test to find out whether they have COPD. This can be done by their GP," he said.
Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said there was a need to increase public awareness of the disease. "Smokers diagnosed at an early stage would benefit most from quitting and should be targeted in the surgery," she said.
Matt Rann, head of underwriting at Aegon Scottish Equitable, was surprised that so many cases of COPD go undetected.
He said: "If you had COPD to a degree that was impacting your life, you would know about it, so people must not be seeking medical help. From an insurance point of view, people cannot disclose conditions they are not aware of as it would not appear on their GP report. However, we are not seeing rises in claims for lung disease, which is good news."
