Machine shortages deepen lung cancer crisis
Soaring treatment costs, shortages of radiotherapy machines and limited specialised services are worsening the suffering of lung cancer patients in Bangladesh, health experts have warned ahead of World Lung Cancer Day.
The day will be observed tomorrow with a focus on strengthening connections among patients, caregivers and support communities, while promoting awareness and early detection.
Experts say tobacco use remains the leading cause of lung cancer, while air pollution, household smoke and traffic-related pollution are emerging as major risk factors.
Dr Habibullah Talukder Ruskin, associate professor of oncology at Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital, told The New Nation that smoking, tobacco use, household air pollution and traffic-related pollution were among the main drivers of the disease.
“The government and civil society must jointly take sustainable initiatives to reduce smoking and tobacco use,” he said.
He also called for stronger public awareness campaigns and effective enforcement of tobacco-control laws.
Treatment remains costly
Dr Ruskin said the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital was one of the country’s main centres for lung cancer surgery, but specialised facilities and trained surgeons remained inadequate.
A lung cancer operation at a private hospital may cost between Tk 4 lakh and Tk 6 lakh, putting treatment beyond the reach of many families, he said.
Radiotherapy costs between Tk 1 lakh and Tk 2 lakh at private hospitals, compared with around Tk 15,000 to Tk 30,000 at public facilities. Some government hospitals provide free treatment to financially vulnerable patients.
Chemotherapy expenses vary widely depending on the type of medicine, treatment cycle and stage of the disease.
Patients seeking radiotherapy at public hospitals may face waiting periods of several months because of the shortage of functional machines and overwhelming demand.
Bangladesh reportedly has only around 37 radiotherapy machines in public and private hospitals, far below the number required to meet demand. Many of the available machines are also frequently out of service.
Most patients diagnosed late
Doctors say delayed diagnosis is one of the greatest challenges in treating lung cancer, as many patients seek medical help only after the disease has reached an advanced stage.
Early symptoms may be mild or absent. Warning signs can include a persistent cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, breathing difficulties and unexplained weight loss.
Dr Ruskin said low-dose CT screening could help detect the disease earlier among high-risk groups, particularly long-term smokers.
According to the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, lung cancer accounted for 18 per cent of all cancer patients treated at the institute in 2025.
Tobacco remains leading risk
Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of lung cancer, while exposure to secondhand smoke also significantly increases the risk.
Experts said weak enforcement of anti-tobacco laws had allowed tobacco consumption to continue despite growing awareness of its health effects.
Smokeless tobacco also contributes to Bangladesh’s broader cancer burden, although it is more strongly associated with cancers of the mouth, throat and digestive tract than with lung cancer.
Air pollution adds to burden
Air pollution is increasingly being recognised as a lung cancer risk, particularly among people who have never smoked.
Researchers have linked prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, with increased risks of respiratory illness and lung cancer.
Other environmental and occupational risk factors include radon gas, asbestos, arsenic, chromium, nickel, beryllium and exposure to petroleum products.
Adenocarcinoma, the most common subtype of lung cancer, is increasingly being diagnosed among non-smokers and has been associated with environmental pollution.
With Dhaka frequently experiencing hazardous air during the dry season, experts fear that long-term exposure is increasing health risks for millions of residents.
Prevention and early detection crucial
Health specialists stressed that stronger tobacco control, cleaner air, public awareness and early screening were essential to reducing lung cancer deaths.
They also called for more specialised hospitals, trained surgeons, functional radiotherapy machines and affordable diagnostic and treatment services.
Without significant investment in prevention and treatment infrastructure, they warned, high costs and limited access would continue to deny many patients timely care.
