Screenings can help find lung cancer in its early stages

Many Missouri residents may be unaware that lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of men and women in the U.S., accounting for about one in four cancer deaths. It is estimated that in 2018 alone, 5,750 people in Missouri will be diagnosed with lung cancer.

One of the reasons that lung cancer is so deadly is that it is often diagnosed in advanced stages, after the disease has already spread. Alternatively, lung cancer can be cured if diagnosed in early stages, so screening for lung cancer in high-risk patients is of utmost importance.

As a pulmonologist, I have seen firsthand the impact that this terrible disease has on families and residents of Missouri. Two different patients come to my mind, both of the  same age group and heavy smokers. One had difficulty walking and was found to have brain lesions that turned out to be metastases from undiagnosed lung cancer. By the time he was diagnosed and started on treatment, the disease was too advanced, and his body was too weak to handle chemotherapy.

The other patient underwent the recommended lung cancer screening and was found to have a small lesion in his right lung. The lesion was biopsied and turned out to be early lung cancer. Surgical resection was performed, and no chemotherapy was needed. The patient is currently cancer-free and leading a successful life.