By: centraljersey.com
Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in both men and women in the United States, with more than 220,000 Americans diagnosed each year.
It is also, unfortunately, the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. More people die of lung cancer every year than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined, according to the American Cancer Society.
If you have a history of smoking, have been exposed to radon or asbestos or have a family history of lung cancer, you are at greater risk for the disease and should talk to your doctor about screening.
When detected early, lung cancer can often be treated and the outlook for survival improved. In fact, if lung cancer is discovered in the early stages, patients can generally expect a more than 70 percent cure rate, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Early stage lung cancer typically has no symptoms, and is often first detected when patients undergo chest X-rays for other conditions and an incidental nodule appears on the image. When this occurs, doctors generally recommend a CT scan to get a better look at the growth.
If the nodule is small and you have no risk factors for lung cancer, doctors may opt to actively monitor the nodule for growth rather than remove it. If the nodule is large or you are at greater risk for the disease, it is likely doctors will perform a biopsy to test for cancer or will surgically remove the growth.
At University Medical Center at Princeton, board-certified thoracic surgeons are using video-assisted technology to treat early stage lung cancer.
With video-assisted thoracic surgery, a thin hollow tube is placed through a small incision between the ribs. A 10 mm video camera is then placed through this port to help the surgeon see inside the chest cavity and images are projected onto a high-definition monitor. Through additional access ports surgeons are able to insert instruments to safely remove the part of the lung containing the cancerous growth.
This minimally invasive approach improves outcomes and speeds the recovery process. Moreover, it is making lung cancer surgery more accessible to patients who may not be able to tolerate traditional surgery because of advanced age or other underlying health conditions. Additionally, video-assisted thoracic surgery is making cancer staging simpler.
While surgery is an effective approach to treating early stage lung cancer, doctors may also recommend chemotherapy and radiation if surgery is not an option.
More often than not, lung cancer goes undetected until it reaches an advanced stage. According to the American Cancer Society, signs and symptoms of advanced stage lung cancer can include:
– Cough that does not go away.
– Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing.
– Hoarseness.
– Weight loss and loss of appetite.
– Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum.
– Shortness of breath.
– Feeling tired or weak.
– Recurring infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
– New onset of wheezing.
When lung cancer spreads to distant organs, it may cause:
– Bone pain.
– Neurologic changes (such as headache, weakness or numbness of a limb, dizziness, or seizures).
– Jaundice.
– Lumps near the surface of the body, due to cancer spreading to the skin or to lymph nodes in the neck or above the collarbone.
It is important to note that these signs can be associated with a variety of other illnesses. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, see your doctor right away and talk about your risks for lung cancer. In addition to X-rays and a CT scan, doctors may order a PET scan to determine if the cancer has spread.
Patients with advanced stage lung cancer that has spread to other organs are often not candidates for surgery, but may benefit from chemotherapy and radiation, which can help relieve symptoms and prolong life.
Once you complete treatment for lung cancer, your doctor will want to regularly monitor your condition for signs of a recurrence. In patients with no signs of remaining cancer, doctors will likely recommend follow-up visits and CT scans every six months for five years after treatment, and yearly visits and CT scans after this.
Though lung cancer is the deadliest form of cancer in the United States, it is also the most preventable. Here are a few tips for protecting yourself against the disease.
– Quit smoking or – better yet – never start. Almost 87 percent of lung cancers are believed to be a result of smoking, according to the American Cancer Society. The longer you smoke and how much you smoke increase your risk for developing cancer.
– Test your home for radon. Radon is a naturally occurring gas, and while it is all around us, it can be harmful when in confined places like your home. Do-it-yourself radon test kits are available at many home supply stores. If your home has a high radon level, talk to a contractor about solutions.
– Avoid asbestos exposure. Asbestos was a common construction material in the early 1900s before it was linked to mesothelioma and lung cancer. Though its use has declined since then, it can still be found in some products as well as older buildings and water pipes. Take precautions if you are working around asbestos and follow standard safety procedures to avoid exposure.
Most importantly, if you have any of the risk factors for lung cancer, talk to your doctor now and take steps to reduce the chances of stopping the disease before it develops.
John A. Heim, M.D., is board-certified in general surgery and thoracic surgery, and is the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at University Medical Center at Princeton.

