PSC11192021 - Page 17

�� COURIER LIFE, NOVEMBER 19-25, 2021 17 ��s chief of thoracic surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Sebron Harrison, MD, works with a multidisciplinary team to identify and treat lung cancer during its earliest stages. Test your knowledge about this critical condition. Which of the following symptoms are warning signs of lung cancer? a. Coughing up blood b. Chest pain c. Shortness of breath d. All of the above Answer: d. Lung cancer typically causes symptoms during later stages, but individuals with early stages of the disease may notice warning signs. To screen for cancer at an early stage, when treatment may lead to better outcomes, talk with your doctor about your risk factors and screening options. “Because lung cancer is so deadly, patients should never wait for warning signs. Instead, at-risk individuals should be thinking about lung health at every stage of the game,” Dr. Harrison says. “Unfortunately, over 40 percent of patients are not diagnosed until the cancer is already stage IV, and at that late stage, fewer treatment options will be effective.” What is the leading cause of lung cancer? a. Asbestos exposure b. Family history c. Secondhand smoke d. Smoking Answer: d. According to the American Lung Association, active smoking causes nearly 85 percent of lung cancers. But the likelihood of the disease may also be increased by factors like family history and exposure to harmful chemicals in the air. What is usually the first treatment for early lung cancer? a. Chemotherapy b. Radiation c. Surgery d. All of the above Answer: c. Surgical resection is typically the first line of treatment for early lung cancer with the goal of cancer cure. Once the disease has progressed, doctors may recommend a combination of treatments including chemotherapy and newer immunotherapies, radiation, and surgery. Fact or fiction: If you have a clear chest x-ray, you don’t need to be concerned about lung cancer. Answer: Fiction. Other tests may be needed to identify lung cancer during various stages of the disease. “Multiple studies have shown that a chest x-ray is not an appropriate screening method,” Dr. Harrison says. “A high-risk person should also have a lose-dose computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest.” True or false: If you’ve never smoked, there’s no chance that you will develop lung cancer. Answer: False. NewYork- Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital “Roughly 15 percent of all patients diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked and have no other identifiable risk factors,” Dr. Harrison says. “If you experience symptoms, it is never too early to see a doctor and discuss risks and options for diagnosis.” NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital offers free lung cancer screenings through the Fred L. Mazzilli Lung Cancer Screening Program. The Program is designed for people between the ages of 50 and 80 who smoke or have smoked in the past and have a history of 20 pack years. This is equivalent to smoking one pack daily for 20 years, two packs a day for 10 years, etc. These people are at the highest risk for developing lung cancer. Call 718.780.LUNG to learn more about the Program. ��