Lung cancer awareness highlights importance of early detection
PALM DESERT, CALIF. (KESQ)- News of Pope Leo’s lung cancer diagnosis and surgery is bringing renewed attention to the importance of early detection and screening.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and many eligible people may not realize screening is available.
Dr. Justin Thomas, a board-certified interventional pulmonologist at Eisenhower Health, says lung cancer is often diagnosed in its later stages because it may not cause symptoms.
“The problem with lung cancer is that it’s caught in the late stages, most of the time, about 80% of the time, and that’s because it just doesn’t cause symptoms,” Thomas said.
For patients who are good candidates, surgery is the preferred treatment, Thomas said. Others may have options such as radiation or ablation.
Thomas encourages eligible patients to talk with their healthcare providers about annual low-dose CT scans, which can detect lung cancer before symptoms appear.
Under current guidelines, adults ages 50 to 80 with a significant smoking history who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years may qualify for screening.
Early detection can help patients explore treatment options sooner.
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