Cancer

Lung cancer early detection and treatments offer hope to millions of people

Happy senior woman hiking with backpacks in a mountainous area.

12/26/2024

Advances in surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are helping more people survive lung cancer.

 

By Byron Patton, MD, Regional Chief of Thoracic Surgery, Nuvance Health

 

There is hope when it comes to lung cancer: The number of new diagnoses and lives lost to the disease have been declining for nearly 20 years, thanks to fewer people smoking, early detection through screenings and advances in treatments. 

 

Find out why there is hope if you or a loved one are at risk of lung cancer or dealing with a new diagnosis.

 

 

Why are lung cancer diagnoses and deaths decreasing? 

 

New diagnoses and deaths from lung cancer are decreasing for four main reasons:

 

One: Fewer people smoking cigarettes

 

Keep up the great work by not smoking! Avoid vaping, too. While we need more research to know if vaping is safer than smoking, we know it is never a good idea to inhale potentially harmful substances into your lungs.

 

 

Two: The increased availability of lung cancer screenings

 

Low-Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screenings can detect changes in your lungs before you experience symptoms. Symptoms usually occur when the cancer is growing, making it more difficult to treat. Screenings can save lives through early detection! 

 

If you are one of the 14.2 million people in the United States who meet the criteria for lung cancer screenings, please talk with your primary care provider or pulmonologist.

 

 

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) criteria for lung cancer screenings include:

 

  • 50 and 80 years old, and

  • History of heavy smoking, and

  • Currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years

 

Heavy smoking means a history of 20 pack years or more. A pack year is smoking an average of one pack of cigarettes per day for one year. You would meet the criteria if you smoked one pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years.

 

 

Three: Advances in lung cancer diagnostic tools

 

In addition to LDCT, robotic-assisted bronchoscopy has contributed to early and precise lung cancer diagnoses. This robotic system allows interventional pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons to access small lung nodules that were previously hard to reach, resulting in earlier diagnosis of lung cancer, better outcomes and survival rates. Nuvance Health offers robotic-assisted bronchoscopy for our communities in the Hudson Valley and western Connecticut.

 

Four: Advances in lung cancer treatments

 

From targeted therapies to robotic-assisted surgery, we can treat and remove lung cancer better than ever before. Keep reading to find out more about lung cancer treatments.

 

What are lung cancer treatments?

 

Nuvance Health thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists develop customized treatment plans for people with lung cancer. We often combine therapies to provide individuals with the best chance of recovery. We offer the latest diagnostic and treatment options.

 

Lung cancer surgery

 

Nuvance Health has a technologically and scientifically advanced lung cancer program. Our thoracic surgeons are experienced in treating lung cancer with minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgical techniques.  

 

Using robotic surgical technology or video-assisted thoracoscopy surgery (VATS), we perform the procedure by inserting tiny surgical instruments and a small video camera — allowing the surgeon to see inside the body — into small incisions in the chest. Robotic surgery provides superior visualization, precision, and dexterity to your surgeon.

 

Because robotic surgery is minimally invasive, individuals may experience a faster recovery, less blood loss and reduced discomfort after surgery. The procedure also allows surgeons to precisely remove lung tumors and preserve healthy lung tissue, making it an alternative to open surgical procedures. This especially benefits older people and those with other health conditions or limited lung function.

 

 

Medical oncology and radiation oncology for lung cancer

 

Based on the results of sophisticated genetic testing, our medical oncologists offer targeted therapies that treat lung cancer at the molecular level. Our cancer specialists also use advanced immunotherapy treatments, stimulating your body’s immune system to find and destroy cancer cells.

 

Additionally, our radiation oncologists use some of the latest techniques to deliver targeted radiation treatment that effectively kills cancer cells without damaging surrounding healthy tissue.

 

The bottom line: The availability of new treatments and diagnostic tools — combined with lung cancer screenings and public health efforts to decrease smoking — are encouraging steps in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer.

 

If you or a loved one have risk factors for lung cancer, please ask your primary care provider or pulmonologist about lung cancer screenings. If you or a loved one experiences lung cancer, please know you are not alone, and there are many safe, effective treatments available, contributing to better outcomes and survival rates.