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Early detection for lung cancer
Lung cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths. In addition, the rates are increasing in young people who have never smoked before.
LOS ANGELES - Lung cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, claiming more lives than several other major cancers combined.
What we know:
According to Dr. Andrea McKee, lung cancer claims more American men and women than other major cancers combined.
"Lung cancer claims the lives of more American men and women than any of the other cancers. Breast, ovarian, uterine, all three of those together, lung cancer claims more lives than all three of those," McKee said.
Cases are also increasing among young adults, including people who have never smoked. Researchers are working to understand why.
"There’s a lot of research going on right now to try to better understand that. Cancer is basically made up of mutations that are in our genetic code that we acquire from exposures to known carcinogens, and we do know that the footprint or the types of cancers that these non-tobacco-related carcinomas carry are different from the ones that we see among patients who have a history of tobacco use," McKee said.
A survivor’s story
Donita Butler, an Air Force and Navy veteran, served her country for 38 years. During her time in the military, she worked as a hydraulic mechanic on B-52s.
"I was a hydraulic mechanic on B-52s in the Air Force, and they would drill out the bomber brake. They were lined in asbestos, and they would drill the lining out of those brakes, and the fibers would be all through the air, and we did not have protection," Butler said.
She later learned she had been exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos. Butler also said she grew up in homes where radon exposure was a concern.
"Also, I grew up in an EPA red zone, two different old homes that had dirt cellars. So there was nothing to stop the radon from coming straight up in the homes," she said.
In addition, Butler had been a heavy smoker, though she quit more than a decade before her diagnosis. She described her risk factors as a "triple whammy."
Despite multiple risk factors, it was only her history as a smoker that qualified her for lung cancer screening under her insurance coverage.
She was diagnosed with stage 1A2 non-small cell lung cancer following a screening.
"I had minimal surgery. I didn’t have to have any other treatments. My surgery was considered curative and I was literally back doing the things that I loved," Butler said.
Her cancer was detected early, and she did not require additional treatment.
Why you should care:
Health experts say Butler’s experience highlights the importance of early detection.
"Early stage lung cancer is highly curable, as you’ve heard from Donita. Screen-detected stage 1A lung cancer, like what she was diagnosed with, has a 90% chance of being cured," McKee said.
However, not everyone is eligible for screening, even as diagnoses rise among people with no history of smoking.
What you can do:
Doctors emphasize the importance of getting screened if you qualify.
"If you’re eligible, don’t be afraid to get the scan. You can get through this. You’ll be good as new if you can manage to get yourself diagnosed at early stage and so, and that’s what the low-dose lung cancer screening CT is gonna do for you," Butler said.
Health experts say early screenings remain one of the most effective tools in catching lung cancer at a stage when it is highly treatable.
The Source: This article is based on on-air reporting that included interviews with lung cancer survivor and military veteran Donita Butler and Dr. Andrea McKee, along with information from the American Lung Association.