Dubai resident Karen Johnson had never smoked a cigarette in her life, so screening for lung cancer was not something that crossed her mind.
But when she went to see a doctor in January last year over a persistent cough, she was told she had stage-four lung cancer.
Medics said it probably took two years before the cancer manifested itself and that her recovery chances would be much higher today if only she had been screened earlier.
Ms Johnson, 50, a British mother of two, described it as “probably the biggest shock being told you have lung cancer when you are not a smoker".
“I would never have thought that I would ever get lung cancer and it is one of the cancers that I would never get checked for,” she said.
The shock was so severe that Ms Johnson immediately went into denial.
“I remember meeting my doctor for the very first time and he asked me if I understood why I was there.
The belief that lung cancer is associated with smoking is not correct. Many non-smokers have developed the disease.
Dr Humaid Al Shamsi
“I said yes. I told him that there is some cancer in my body and that it can be removed and that everything is going to be OK.”
Ms Johnson said she kept telling herself that the cancer was in its early days.
Her doctor had to break the news it was stage four lung cancer and that they could not operate and remove the abnormal cells and tumours.
There are five stages — from zero to four — and zero and one are easier to treat. Patients in the early stages have a better outlook than those fighting stages two, three or four.
Ms Johnson said the first concern that came to her mind was how much time she had left.
Her chances of remission are low as the cancer has spread throughout her body. However, she remains optimistic.
“My message to anyone suffering from cancer is — do what you love and what makes you happy,” she said.
“I have found that the more I get into my cancer journey, the more confident I get in doing this.
“Celebrate every step forward and try not to get disappointed with an inevitable step back. Remember, there is always a plan; have hope and believe in it, no matter how difficult it may seem at times.”
She urged others to go for screening regularly.
“Everybody should get checked,” she said.
Dr Humaid Al Shamsi, consultant medical oncologist and president of the Emirates Oncology Society, who is treating Ms Johnson, said that screening for lung cancer should be part of annual cancer screenings, particularly for those aged 50 and above.
Data from the World Health Organisation shows lung cancer continues to be the single leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. It led to 1.8 million deaths globally in 2020, almost double the fatalities caused by colon and rectal cancer, which were next on the list with 935,000 deaths. There were 2.21 million cases of lung cancer last year.
In 2017, lung cancer accounted for 7.7 per cent of all cancers in the UAE and was the third leading cause of death.
“The belief that lung cancer is associated with smoking is not correct. Many non-smokers have developed the disease,” Dr Al Shamsi said.
“We need to establish clear guidelines that every suspected case of lung cancer is referred to a specialist for early diagnosis, with subsequent management based on the recommendations.”
About 80 per cent of lung cancer patients in the UAE are diagnosed at a later stage, making treatment less effective and survival outcomes low.
“Effective screening at a primary care setting can be crucial for early diagnosis,” he said.
In June this year, the UAE approved a new breakthrough lung cancer drug, Lumakras, after it received the nod from the US Food and Drug Administration.
It focuses on non-small cell lung cancer whose tumours have a specific type of genetic mutation called Kras G12C.
Up to 85 per cent of lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer, while the term metastatic means it has spread.
In a study of the drug's effectiveness encompassing 124 patients, 36 per cent had their tumours shrink or disappear.
New drug to help fight lung cancer — in pictures
FIGHT CARD
Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)
Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
The biog
Name: Mohammed Imtiaz
From: Gujranwala, Pakistan
Arrived in the UAE: 1976
Favourite clothes to make: Suit
Cost of a hand-made suit: From Dh550
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Company%20profile
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Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test India won by innings and 53 runs at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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The%20specs
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
