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Spring Survey 2012 Results

Surgical Treatment of Lung Cancer

PROGRAM DETAILS:

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the country. One of the major hurdles is early detection, as screening methods are not as developed as many experts would like. While most people who develop lung cancer are smokers, there are a number of non-smokers who also develop this disease; this continues to be a mysterious finding for medical researchers and scientists.

For early stage lung cancers, such as stage I or stage II, patients are usually offered surgery first. More advanced stage cancers such as stage III and stage IV are frequently treated with chemotherapy and radiation, chemotherapy and surgery or just chemotherapy alone. So those stage III and stage IV patients end up with a very difficult set of decisions. When detected early, some patients have a life-saving advantage.

In this program, Sharon Leonard shares her story of when she and her physician discovered that she had lung cancer. However, Sharon was very fortunate to have the cancer found in its infancy, as she was a smoker for many years. Shortly after this discovery, Sharon became proactive and connected with the right medical team. After being told she needed to see a pulmonologist, followed by a surgeon, she was able to act quickly. Sharon underwent Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS), which allowed doctors to take a closer look at the cancer. While, all cases are not like Sharon’s, the most important thing to understand is what approach is best for you.

Andrew and Dr. Matthew Blum, Section Head of General Thoracic Surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, discuss treatments methods, early detection and who is at risk. He explains how oncologists are ultimately hoping to cure patients of cancer using new chemotherapy agents and cutting-edge minimally invasive surgeries. Dr. Blum also discusses ex-smokers and their risk of lung cancer after quitting. He explains that while an ex-smokers risk decreases, the lungs may not return to a normal state. With this in mind, lowering your risk for lung cancer involves discarding your habit and scheduling routine screenings that could ultimately save your life.

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