Uncool, unsmooth, unhealthy

The average general practitioner will see about five patients die of cancer each year and about two of these deaths will be from lung cancer; since I started practice here six years ago I've had six patients die with it, and it is one of the few cancers that a GP can become unpleasantly familiar with.

Lung cancer remains a modern epidemic. Most GPs already have a high index of suspicion for persistent respiratory symptoms—especially if there is a positive smoking history—but even so, most cases are diagnosed too late for anything except palliative treatment. The unique feature of …