Screening Offers Life-Saving Benefits
With lung cancer remaining the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, it is critical to examine whether you’re at risk and can benefit from screening. Harsha Poola, MD, Oncologist and Hematologist with ThedaCare Cancer Care, covers some of the risk factors, symptoms and treatment options associated with this deadly disease.
Who is Most At Risk?
While anyone can develop lung cancer, there are key risk factors, including smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, exposure to radon gas, certain lung diseases and exposure to asbestos and other chemicals explained Dr. Poola. He also noted lung cancer affects men slightly more often than women.
“The most important thing you can do to help avoid lung cancer is not to smoke, and if you do smoke, quit now,” said Dr. Poola. “The body experiences significant benefits over time after giving up a smoking habit.”
The most important thing you can do to help avoid lung cancer is not to smoke.
Harsha Poola, MD, ThedaCare
“The body experiences significant benefits over time after giving up a smoking habit,” said Dr. Poola.
In fact, the benefits of smoking cessation continue for decades, with the risk of lung cancer dropping by about half after 10 to 15 years of quitting, he said. Former smokers also can significantly decrease their risk of other cancers, including esophageal, pancreatic, kidney, bladder, cervical, throat and mouth cancers. Over time, these patients also see risk of heart attack and stroke drop to levels similar to those people who never smoked.
“It is also a good practice to stay away from secondhand smoke,” Dr. Poola said. “The likelihood of a nonsmoker contracting lung cancer increases by 20 to 30 percent if they are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke.”
What are the Symptoms of Lung Cancer?
Common symptoms associated with lung cancer include coughing that worsens or doesn’t improve, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, chest pain, constant fatigue or unexplained weight loss.
“Symptoms often don’t appear until the cancer is advanced, so it’s important to reduce your risk factors,” Dr. Poola said.
Those with high risk factors should talk with their provider about scheduling a screening. Recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force call for a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan for certain patients who smoke heavily now or have in the past.
What Diagnostic Tools and Treatments are Available?
In November of 2019, ThedaCare Cancer Care officially launched work to develop and complete five Tumor Site-Specific Centers of Excellence (CoE). Those CoEs compliment the Breast Cancer Center of Excellence that has been in place for more than a decade. An additional Center is focused on lung cancer.
“The goal of becoming a Center of Excellence is to streamline, standardize and expedite the diagnosis and treatment of all lung cancer patients in the region,” said Donna Boehm, director of ThedaCare Cancer Care. “The ThedaCare lung cancer program is a multidisciplinary group that includes medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgery, radiology, pathology, pulmonology and support services, with specialists located throughout the Fox Valley. It demonstrates our commitment to providing the best cancer care services to those living in Northeast and Central Wisconsin.”
The goal … is to streamline, standardize and expedite the diagnosis and treatment of all lung cancer patients in the region.
Donna Boehm, Director, ThedaCare Cancer Care
Components of the Lung Cancer Center of Excellence include:
Lung Screening Program
The goal of lung cancer screening through low-dose CT scan is to enable detection of cancer before it has spread. Treatment can then be provided. ThedaCare started this program in 2018. During the first year, 1,300 patients were screened. Criteria for screening includes:
- Age 55 to 77
- History of tobacco use of at least 30 pack years
- Currently smoking or have quit within the last 15 years
Lung Nodule Clinic
The creation of a lung nodule clinic serves patients with suspicious findings identified on imaging. This clinic is located at Fox Valley Pulmonary Medicine and is in partnership with ThedaCare Cancer Care.
Lung Nurse Navigator
Lung navigators are available to help patients navigate the system and coordinate their care, from time of cancer diagnosis through treatment into survivorship.
“These are just three aspects of recent programming implementations to improve screening, early detection and treatment of patients with lung cancer,” said Boehm. “Additional developments include the creation of a Lung Cancer Tumor Board, clinical trials and more. All of the work we do is aimed at providing coordinated care for our patients.”
Don’t delay life-saving care. Schedule a lung cancer screening today.
