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Lung Cancer - An In-Depth Study
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CT Scanning is just
one method of detecting lung cancer.
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Lung cancer is a devastating disease. Not only is it the most common cancer in the United States and Kentucky, it also claims more lives than any other cancer. This year alone, approximately 171,900 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. and nearly 157,000 of these individuals will die as a result.
Tobacco smoking is by far the leading risk factor for lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, 8 out 10 lung cancer cases are a result of smoking tobacco products. The longer a person has smoked and the more packs per day smoked, the greater the risk.
Prevention
The healthcare professionals at Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital believe that prevention offers a great opportunity for fighting lung cancer. Cancer Care at Bellefonte, the accredited OLBH Oncology Services program, regularly offers free smoking cessation support groups. The 12-week support group uses the Cooper - Clayton method of nicotine replacement to assist individuals in kicking the habit of using tobacco products. It encourages area residents to overcome nicotine dependency, keying into both emotional and physical needs. A 12-week membership to the OLBH Vitality Center is included during the support group. For more information, please call the CareLine at (606) 833-CARE (2273).
"Stopping smoking at any age lowers the risk of lung cancer," said Terri Brammer, OLBH tobacco educator. "Even heavy smokers who stop by middle
age can, in time, essentially reduce their health risks to those of peers who have never smoked." Brammer helps the hospital combat the problem of youth smoking on the front lines of area schools with the Tobacco Education Group and the Tobacco Awareness Program (TEG/TAP). Brammer states, "The best way to prevent lung cancer is not to smoke and to avoid people who do. If you already smoke, stop."
Another important lung cancer prevention method is to find out about cancer-causing chemicals in the workplace including coal products, uranium, vinyl chloride, gasoline and diesel exhaust, and take steps to protect yourself. Even so, some people who get lung cancer do not have any apparent risk factors, therefore it is not possible to give advice on how to prevent all cases of lung cancer.
Signs and Symptoms
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Michael Ehrie, M.D., OLBH Pulmonologist.
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Although most lung cancers do not cause symptoms until they have spread, you should report any of the following to your physician.
- A cough that does not go away
- Bloody or rust-colored sputum (mucus or phlegm)
- Chest pain, often made worse by deep breathing
- Fever without a known reason
- Hoarseness
- New onset of wheezing
- Recurring infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia
- Shortness of breath
- Weight loss and loss of appetite.
"Often these problems are caused by some other condition, but if lung cancer is found, prompt treatment could extend your life and relieve symptoms," Michael Ehrie, M.D., OLBH pulmonologist, advised. If there is a reason to suspect you may have lung cancer, your physician will use one or more methods to find out if the disease is actually present. "Additionally, a biopsy of the lung tissue will confirm the diagnosis of cancer and also yield valuable information that will assist in your treatment decisions," Dr. Ehrie added.
Talk with Your Doctor
As you cope with cancer and cancer treatment, OLBH's clinical oncology specialists encourage you to have honest, open discussions with your doctors. Feel free to ask any question that comes to mind. Below are some suggestions that may be of benefit.
- Ask your physician to write down your specifictype of lung cancer.
- Ask for a copy of your pathology report.
- Ask what treatment options are available for your particular situation.
- Ask the physician to explain the goals of your specified treatments.
- Ask the associated risks and side effects of the suggested treatment.
- Ask the chances of the cancer returning after treatment.
- Ask what you should do to be ready for treatment.
For more information about your risk of lung cancer, please speak to your family physician. If you do not currently have a family physician, the OLBH CareLine can refer you to a doctor who will meet your healthcare needs.
Early Detection
Another great opportunity to fight lung cancer exists in the early detection of the disease. Lung cancer often takes many years to develop. Since most people with lung cancer in the early stages - before it has spread to other parts of the body, a process called metastasis - do not have any symptoms, it is often discovered as a result of conducting a CT (computed tomography) scan or other testing for some other reason.
A CT scan is a type of X-ray that uses a special scanner and computer to create cross-sectional images of the body. The screening method is commonly used by physicians to help detect a disease at a time before signs or symptoms are present. "This is the key advantage of using a CT scan for the early detection of lung cancer," Bedford Boylston, OLBH vascular and thoracic surgeon, said. "Utilization of the CT scan provides physicians with a window of opportunity to diagnose lung cancer while treatment can significantly improve the patient's survival rate."
Pam Imel, OLBH radiology technologist, says a CT scan can take multiple pictures of the lungs during a single breath-hold. "Throughout the procedure, the patient lies very still on a table. While the patient passes through the specialized machine, it rotates rapidly around the body and creates a three-dimensional model of the lungs on a computer. A variety of physicians, including family practice and pulmonologists, refer patients to OLBH for CT scans of the lungs."
Dr. Boylston recommends lung cancer screenings using a CT scanner for individuals at an increased risk of lung cancer between the ages of 50 and 80. Those at an increased risk include smokers, individuals with a family history of the disease and those whose occupation may expose them to cancer-causing agents. "The specialized body scan is so sensitive that it is possible to detect nodules long before they can be visualized on a conventional X-ray of the chest," Dr. Boylston added. "If lung cancer is found and treated by surgery early, before it has spread to lymph nodes or other organs, the cure rate is approximately 70 percent."
Available Treatments
Each patient and each type of cancer differs. That is why thoughtful treatment planning is conducted with each individual patient. A host of highly advanced cancer treatments, on par with the nation's leading cancer facilities, are available at OLBH. The hospital's healthcare professionals recommend allowing yourself time to absorb the information you have learned about your disease. After reviewing your test results, your physician will inform you of the stage of your cancer. This will help you both determine the best treatment for you. The following lung cancer treatment methods are available at OLBH.
Surgery: Depending on the type and stage of the cancer, surgery may be used to remove the tumor and some of the lung tissue around it. OLBH offers a host of quality surgeons who possess specialized knowledge
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Aaron Williams, M.D., OLBH Oncologist
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and experience in diagnosis, treatment and postoperative care. "People whose lungs are in good condition (other than the cancer) can often return to normal activities after surgery," Dr. Ehrie added.
Radiation Therapy: External radiation is normally the type used to treat lung cancer. It involves focusing high-energy rays on the tumor to shrink cancer cells. "Radiation is sometimes used as the main treatment of lung cancer, for example, for those individuals who may not be healthy enough to have surgery," Aaron Williams, Pharm. D., M.D., OLBH radiation oncologist, said. "Radiation also can be used to relieve symptoms such as pain, bleeding and trouble swallowing."
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Kirti Jain, M.D., OLBH Oncologist
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Chemotherapy: While surgery and radiation therapy are used to treat localized cancers, chemotherapy is used to treat cancer cells throughout the body. "Chemotherapy is given in cycles, followed by a recovery period," Kirti Jain, M.D., OLBH hematologist and oncologist, said. "Chemotherapy is useful for cancers that have spread to distant organs. While it is effective in killing the cancer cells, it also causes damage to some normal cells which can lead to side effects for some patients."
Recovery
You have been through a lot - testing, diagnosis, treatment. Through it all, you have endured physical and emotional stress. Now you are probably wondering, "What's next?" The OLBH clinical oncology specialists are available, not only to help you understand and receive excellent medical treatment, but also to help you manage your continuing experience with lung cancer.
Just as cancer is not one disease, but a group of diseases, Cancer Care at Bellefonte is not just a single entity. It is a group of physicians, researchers, nurses, dietitians, social workers and home healthcare providers working to win the battle against cancer.
The hospital even has a special nursing area dedicated to oncology services, known as the "Emmanuel Unit." The area incorporates music therapy and holistic care as a part of patient healing. It is an extensive Christian care area designed to treat the whole person - body, mind and spirit.
For more information about OLBH Oncology Services, please call the CareLine at
(606) 833-CARE (2273).
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