A 32-year-old newlywed American woman began experiencing a bedtime cough that wouldn’t go away. While she thought she had bronchitis, one doctor told her it was asthma and gave her an inhaler while others suggested she could be having allergies.
No matter what medicines she took, nothing helped.That’s because Jaymie Knox’s cough was not just bronchitis or allergies, it was stage-4 lung cancer. The diagnosis came as a shock for the woman who kickboxed regularly and had never smoked in her life. Her entire left lung was covered in fluid or mass and she had to be admitted to the hospital instantly.Following her X-ray, Knox had a painful chest-tube procedure that drained two and a half litres of fluid from her lungs.
However, what still remains unknown is how Knox developed the cancer. She doesn’t smoke and has no family history of the disease. She suspects she got it from radon exposure which is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in US after smoking, as per CDC. “People think if you don’t smoke, you’re not going to get lung cancer,” Knox said to People. “The truth of the matter is, is all you need is lungs to get lung cancer, and that’s it. It doesn’t matter if you smoke or if you don’t smoke. Those are just risk factors. “
Lung cancer in the United States
Despite being one of the most common cancers in the US, lung cancer remains shrouded in misinformation. Many believe that if you do not smoke, you are not at risk of developing cancer. However, as per the CDC, 10-20% of lung cancer patients have never smoked or smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lives.
In terms of risk, the disease remains relatively rare in young people. Most cases are in people over the age of 65, as per the American Cancer Society. However, it still remains the most lethal cancer in the country, killing more Americans than breast and colon cancers combined.
Symptoms of lung cancer
According to the Mayo Clinic, lung cancer typically does not have symptoms in its early stages. However, as the disease progresses, symptoms begin to emerge. These include:
persistent cough - chest pain
- coughing up blood
- hoarseness
- shortness of breath
- wheezing
According to Dr Eric Singhi, a thoracic medical oncologist and spokesperson for the American Lung Association, it is important to maintain a consistent relationship with a medical professional who knows your overall health history and listens if you feel something is off.
This helps in the quick recognition of any signs that may signal a larger disease.As for Knox, she has been fighting lung cancer for the past seven years. Her doctors told her that chemo and radiation wouldn’t have worked for her case. Thus, she has been on a medication targeting a specific mutation. However, she has not stopped living life: she is now a mom to two foster kids and is all set to celebrate her 40th birthday in Hawaii.
