'40,000 patients diagnosed with lung cancer a year'

Forty thousand patients are diagnosed with lung cancer every year in the country, speakers at an awareness programme said.
If the disease is diagnosed early, thousands of lives can be saved with the currently available treatment, they said.
They also called on all concerned to quit smoking, which can cause lung cancer.
Sanofi-aventis, a pharmaceutical company, organised the programme at the National Press Club in the city on Thursday to mark the Lung Cancer Awareness Month, with National Professor Dr Nurul Islam in the chair.
Speaking at the programme, Dr Mofazzel Hosain, associate professor, department of Oncology, Bangladesh Medical College and Hospital, emphasised the need for early detection of the disease to ensure effective treatment for the patients.
Dr Arup Ratan Chowdhury, founder president of 'Manas', explained different ways to quit smoking and said that family members, friends and colleagues can help smokers to quit completely.
Dr Mahmood Abedin Khan, manager oncology, Sanofi-aventis, and Dr Rezaul Farid Khan, director, Medical and Regulatory Affairs, Sanofi-aventis, also spoke.