Lung cancer: causes, risks, and the importance of early screening
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, claiming more lives each year than breast, prostate, and colon cancers combined. However, early detection through low-dose CT (LDCT) scans can dramatically improve survival rates by finding cancer at earlier, more treatable stages.
Why early detection matters
Lung cancer is often diagnosed based on symptoms that appear once the disease has reached an advanced stage — typically stage III or IV. At that point, treatment options are more limited, and survival rates are significantly lower.
In contrast, cancers found through low-dose CT screenings are often detected at stage I or II, when they are more likely to be cured. Studies show that screening can detect over half of lung cancers at an early stage, compared to only about 25% without screening.
Despite this proven benefit, only 5–17% of eligible individuals, nationally and in Virginia, are being screened.
Who is eligible for lung cancer screening?
LDCT screening is recommended for people who meet all of the following criteria:
· Age 50–80
· At least a 20 pack-year smoking history (e.g., one pack per day for 20 years, or two packs per day for 10 years)
· Current smoker or quit within the past 15 years
Risk factors beyond smoking
While smoking is the single greatest risk factor for lung cancer, it is not the only one. Other causes and exposures can also lead to the disease, even in people who have never smoked.
Risk factors include:
· Secondhand smoke (exposure to other people’s smoke)
· Radon gas exposure
· Air pollution
· Asbestos exposure
· Family history of lung cancer
In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 10% to 20% of lung cancers in the U.S., or roughly 20,000 to 40,000 cases per year, occur in people who have never smoked or smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. Of these, researchers estimate that secondhand smoke contributes to about 7,300 cases.
“There is also something called thirdhand exposure,” according to Raffaele Marchigiani,M.D.,thoracic surgeon and chair of surgery at Sentara Leigh Hospital. “We see this in people who wash the clothes of family members that work in places like shipyards because they are exposed to certain inhalants.”
Radon exposure is considered a risk too and accounts for about 2,900 cases annually.
Get screened – it could save your life
Regular LDCT screening can detect lung cancer early, before symptoms develop, when it’s easier to treat and survival rates are much higher. Yet only 1 in 10 people at higher risk are currently being screened.
It is imperative that eligible individuals talk with their healthcare provider about getting screened. The screening is quick, painless, and non-invasive and can truly make a life-saving difference.
To make screening more accessible, Sentara offers Saturday appointments at several locations, so patients don’t have to miss work or weekday obligations.
Sentara Health locations offering low-dose CT scans ·
· Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
· Sentara Princess Anne Hospital
· Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital
For more information or to schedule a screening, visit: Screen My LungsBy: Jen Lewis