Treated for lung cancer, journalist Catherine Matausch recounts her recovery.
- With 46,363 new cases and 33,117 deaths estimated in 2018, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death.
- Every 18 seconds, someone dies from this disease in the world.
“I’m fine. I’m better.” In the TV Grandes Chaînes issue published on Monday June 20, France 3 journalist Catherine Matausch revealed that she had fought against lung cancer, which she managed to overcome. She also mentioned the presenter Jean-Pierre Pernaut, who died of the same disease. “It’s good to talk about it, as he did. I am talking about it here for the first time. In my case, fortunately, the disease is not at the same stage and was treated in time” , she says.
The most common symptoms
Not very specific, the symptoms of lung cancer are sometimes difficult to spot, which often delays the management of the disease and reduces the chances of recovery. Here are the bodily manifestations that should alert and encourage you to consult your doctor:
– appearance or aggravation of a cough of chronic bronchitis;
– bloody sputum (hemoptysis);
– difficulty breathing (dyspnea or shortness of breath), excluding proven heart problems;
– recurrent lung infection (bronchitis or pneumonia);
– significant acute or chronic pain (such as a stitch in the side evoking muscle tearing, shoulder pain evoking rheumatism);
– unusual and persistent fatigue;
– loss of appetite and weight.
Rare warning signs
“The most common symptoms of lung cancer are respiratory and unexplained alteration of general condition”, summarizes the collective Together we lungs. “A change in the voice, wheezing, difficulty swallowing or breathing, swelling of the face and neck, repetitive pain from the neck to the arm are also warning signs, even if they are less frequent”add the experts.
These conditions vary depending on the person and the form of lung cancer developed. There are two major histological types of lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancers, which account for nearly 89% of cases, and small cell lung cancers, which make up nearly 11% of diagnoses.
