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Lung Cancer SCREENING EARLY DETECTION IMPROVES LUNG CANCER TREATMENT OPTIONS AND SURVIVAL.

Lung cancer patients are often diagnosed in the late stages of the disease, according to the American Cancer Society, and most patients are former or current smokers. Through our Lung Cancer Screening Program at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, our goal is to screen patients at risk and diagnose lung cancer in the early stages.

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WHO QUALIFIES?

• Current or former smokers who quit within the last 15 years

• Patients ages 50–77 (Medicare) OR ages 50–80 (commercial payers)

• Patients with a 20-pack year or more smoking history (number of pack(s) daily multiplied by number of years)

Benefits Of Screening

• Screening reduces your risk of dying from lung cancer.

• Data show annual low-dose CT scans can detect lung cancer early, and this has shown to provide a significant reduction in lung cancer deaths among patients at risk.

• Screening leads to better treatment options.

• Early lung cancer may be more easily removed by surgery. The most common type, non-small cell lung cancer, can often be cured by surgery alone if found early enough. Advanced lung cancers may be inoperable, result in cancer spreading beyond the lungs, require more intensive treatment, and have lower cure rates.

Cons Of Screening

• False positives (false alarms) may occur and lead to additional scans or invasive procedures that may not be needed. Screening and follow-up testing exposes patients to low doses of radiation.

WHAT IF SOMETHING ABNORMAL SHOWS UP ON MY SCAN?

If an abnormality is detected through screening, Henry Mayo’s multidisciplinary team of cancer specialists may determine if lung cancer exists by using noninvasive, accurate diagnostic biopsy techniques, including:

• Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)

• Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy

• CT-guided biopsy (percutaneous)

• Video-assisted thoracoscopy surgery (VATS biopsy)

Treatment

Our team will determine if you have cancer, what stage it is, and provide you with treatment options based on best practices. These treatments may include:

Lourdes Ramirez

Some years ago, a nodule was discovered on one of Lourdes Ramirez’s lungs. Since then, she’s had annual CT scans to monitor her lungs. During what she thought was just another CT scan, the nodule showed signs of growth. That’s when she was referred to Henry Mayo physician Mostafa Tabassomi, MD, for a biopsy.

“I was strongly encouraged to have a biopsy done, but I was nervous,” Ramirez says. “But everyone was very thorough with explaining the steps of the process.” Ramirez’s test results came back, and she was diagnosed with stage 1 adenocarcinoma lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer in nonsmoking patients. She had surgery but fortunately didn’t need chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Ramirez was able to recover quickly from her surgery, return to work, and have what she calls a “totally normal life.” She continued to have follow-up appointments for monitoring.

“Having any stage of cancer is scary,” Ramirez says. “But I’m glad I followed my doctor’s advice and got the biopsy. Keeping up with screenings can be challenging, but they are crucial for maintaining good health.” call 661.200.1332 for more information.

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