Program launched to increase awareness of common lung disease
A national public education campaign on a common lung condition was launched in Shanghai to promote clinical capability and awareness of the disease.
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) covers a large group of chronic diseases that cause scarring of the lungs. The scarring causes stiffness in the lungs, which makes it difficult to breathe and get oxygen into the bloodstream, eventually causing lung damage.
Anyone can get interstitial lung disease, including children. The risk factors include genetics, certain medications or medical treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy, and exposure to hazardous materials such as asbestos.
Experts say ILD is an irreversible disease, which can negatively impact lung function and life quality. The condition can be life-threatening in serious cases. For one type of ILD called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the five-year survival rate is less than 30 percent and the average survival for patients in acute cases is only 2.2 months, much shorter than many other cancers.
Top experts gather to discuss the screening, prevention and control of IDL.
Dr Dai Huaping from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital said early detection, early diagnosis, and early treatment are the only method to slow the disease's progression and improve patients' life quality.
Since ILD has no significant symptoms in the early stage, education of clinical medics and cooperation between departments should be enhanced to avoid misdiagnosis and a subsequent delay of proper diagnosis and treatment, experts said.
The public education program, unveiled on Sunday, will team up doctors, patients, the media and pharmaceutical companies to launch scientific programs that promote awareness of IDL.
In addition to the requirement for innovative medicines, the management of IDL lags behind in domestic hospitals. A Boehringer-Ingelheim-supported IDL care center program is to be incorporated into hospitals to streamline the process of disease screening, diagnosis and treatment, and long-term management, to introduce a regular, precise and individualized standard. This would achieve a whole-process management to regulate clinical practice and benefit patients, experts said.
