NEW YORK, N.Y. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, accounting for about 25 percent of all cancers. More people die from lung cancer than colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. Experts now recommend a yearly low-dose CT scan of the chest for patients who are at high-risk of the disease, but this potentially life-saving prescription has been slow to take hold. Lung cancer screening
In the fall of 2018, Lisa Barbaro developed a deep cough. An x-ray showed no sign of anything serious, still, her pulmonologist was concerned. Barbaro was a long-time smoker.
Barbaro said, “Every doctor says you need to quit smoking. And I, I had smoked for 50 years, but I wasn’t quitting smoking.”
Barbaro agreed to undergo a screening CT scan to give a more detailed view of the lungs. By early 2019, news no one wants to hear.
“She called me and she said, ‘you know, you’ve got two very small nodules on your lungs, one on each lung.’” Barbaro explained.
She had early-stage lung cancer.
Claudia Henschke, Ph.D., M.D. Dir. Early Lung and Cardiac Program, Mount Sinai said, “They were tiny, like just the end of a ballpoint pen, think of it. And, but we saw them change in size and therefore she was then recommended to have surgery.”
The lungs have few pain receptors, so lung cancer is often missed until it’s late stage. That’s why screening can be so important.
The US Preventive Services task force now recommends people who are over 50 and have a 20-year pack history get the CT screening. Pack history means you’ve smoked one pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for ten years.
Fewer than 10 percent of all smokers who are eligible for the CT lung screening actually get the test.
Doctor Henschke says, “We need to reach out to those, to smokers and former smokers, because we can really save their lives.”
Barbaro comments, “I had the x-ray. Lungs came back clean. I wasn’t having trouble breathing, nothing like that. I would’ve never known.”
The CT scans for patients at higher risk for lung cancer are covered by private insurance, as well as Medicaid and Medicare. Because the scan also includes other organs in the chest and abdomen, Lisa Barbaro’s doctors detected a separate, early-stage breast cancer that her mammogram missed. She has also had successful treatment for that cancer.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor and Kirk Manson, Videographer
Sources:
https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/lung-cancer-screening
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
LUNG CANCER SCREENING: LIFE SAVING PRESCRIPTION
REPORT #2976
BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. People who smoke have the greatest risk of lung cancer, though lung cancer can also occur in people who have never smoked. The risk of lung cancer increases with the length of time and number of cigarettes you’ve smoked. If you quit smoking, even after smoking for many years, you can significantly reduce your chances of developing lung cancer. In the early stages of lung cancer, the signs and symptoms are usually not seen. They are more noticeable when the cancer is advanced, but some signs and symptoms include a new cough that doesn’t go away, coughing up blood, even a small amount, shortness of breath, chest pain, hoarseness, losing weight without trying, bone pain, and headaches. There’s no sure way to prevent lung cancer, but you can reduce your risk if you’ve never smoked. Talk to your children about not smoking so that they can understand how to avoid this major risk factor for lung cancer. You can also stop smoking now. Quitting reduces your risk of lung cancer, even if you’ve smoked for years. Another thing to do is avoid secondhand smoke. Lastly, if you live or work with a smoker, urge him or her to quit. At the very least, ask him or her to smoke outside.
(Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lung-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20374620)
THE STUDY: People with an increased risk of lung cancer may consider annual lung cancer screening using low-dose CT scans. Lung cancer screening is generally offered to older adults who have smoked heavily for many years or who have quit in the past 15 years. If there’s reason to think that you may have lung cancer, your doctor can order a few tests to look for cancerous cells and to rule out other conditions. Some tests that doctors might preform may include an X-ray image of your lungs that could reveal an abnormal mass or nodule. A CT scan can reveal small lesions in your lungs that might not be detected on an X-ray. Sputum cytology is another test. If you have a cough and are producing sputum, looking at the sputum under the microscope can sometimes reveal the presence of lung cancer cells. A tissue sample is another test that doctors might suggest. A sample of abnormal cells may be removed in a procedure called a biopsy. Your doctor can perform a biopsy in several ways, including bronchoscopy, in which your doctor examines abnormal areas of your lungs using a lighted tube that’s passed down your throat and into your lungs. Mediastinoscopy, in which an incision is made at the base of your neck and surgical tools are inserted behind your breastbone to take tissue samples from lymph nodes is also an option. Another option is needle biopsy, in which your doctor uses X-ray or CT images to guide a needle through your chest wall and into the lung tissue to collect suspicious cells. A biopsy sample may also be taken from lymph nodes or other areas where cancer has spread, such as your liver.
(Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lung-cancer/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374627)
NEW REGULATIONS: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends yearly lung cancer screening with LDCT for people who have a 20 pack-year or more smoking history, smoke now or have quit within the past 15 years, and are between 50 and 80 years old. A low-dose CT scan is a special kind of X-ray that takes multiple pictures as you lie on a table that slides in and out of the machine. A computer then combines these images into a detailed picture of your lungs. A study on early detection of lung cancer found that the low-dose cancer screening test can reduce mortality for those at high risk. If you’re a current or former smoker over the age of 50, you could meet the high-risk eligibility criteria.
(Source: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/screening.htm, https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/saved-by-the-scan)
* For More Information, Contact: Marlene Naanes
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