Screening Is Key To Reduce Lung Cancer Deaths, Experts Say
As Lung Cancer Awareness Month begins, Moffitt Cancer Center experts are urging people to take control of their lung health through early detection, tobacco cessation and education.
Although lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., advancements in low-dose CT screening, mobile outreach and treatments like immunotherapy are offering hope.
“Lung cancer is not a uniformly fatal disease anymore and when we find it early, most people are cured,” said Lary Robinson, MD, director of Moffitt’s Lung Cancer Early Detection Center.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual lung cancer screenings for adults aged 50 to 80 with a 20-pack-year smoking history (pack years are calculated by taking the number of packs per day multiplied by the number of years smoked) and who currently smoke or quit within 15 years.
Mobile Lung Cancer Screening Unit
One of the ways Moffitt specialists aim to increase early detection rates is with the mobile lung cancer screening unit. The vehicle is equipped with a low-dose CT scanner, aiming to make screening more accessible.
“Only about 16% of people who are eligible are actually getting screened mostly due to lack of awareness. By bringing screenings directly to these individuals, we are helping to remove one the biggest barriers,” said Michelle Smith, Mobile Screening Program manager. “We want lung cancer screening to be easy, convenient and within reach for every community.”
Smoking Education
When a mobile lung cancer screening unit event is planned, team members visit the host site several days in advance to offer an educational session to community members. One topic discussed is tobacco education.
According to the surgeon general, continuing to smoke after a cancer diagnosis increases the risk of overall death by 50% and cancer-related death by 61%.
Tobacco treatment specialists at Moffitt like Lisa Sloan help design personalized plans for cancer patients looking to quit, including a combination of medicine and emotional support.
“People are often surprised by how fast their body responds when they stop smoking,” Sloan said. “They breathe better, feel better and even gain more confidence.”
Hope for the Future
Since national screening recommendations began in 2013, experts have seen more lung cancers diagnosed at an early stage.
“We’ve seen a real shift to earlier disease, and with that, the cure rate keeps rising,” Robinson said. “About 28% of people with lung cancer today are long-term survivors. A decade ago, that was closer to 10%.”
Robinson estimates that an additional 80,000 lives could be saved each year if everyone eligible for lung cancer screenings got screened.
