Each year, more people die of
lung cancer than colon, breast and prostate combined
Retired police officer John Underwood was a heavy smoker for 50 years. Feeling otherwise healthy, John began to mysteriously lose weight. His primary care doctor sent him for some routine bloodwork. The results showed a high red blood cell count, which is a sign of cancer, so John had a CT scan that detected a dark spot in both of his lungs. He had no other symptoms, like habitual coughing, pain in his chest, or shortness of breath.
Early detection is the most important part of treating lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women in the United States.
Quitting is the best thing you can do to increase the effectiveness of treatment and prolong life, no matter how long you’ve been addicted. Within twenty minutes of quitting your heart rate and blood pressure will drop. If you are a smoker and then quit for ten years, your chances of getting lung cancer drop in half.
The Quit Smoking Program at Methodist Healthcare offers resources to help stop smoking and establish healthier habits. The program includes, a one-on-one interview with a medical professional specialized in tobacco cessation counseling, enrollment in Quit Now, a state-funded program with 24/7 coaching available, evidence based patient education and coordination with the patient’s primary provider to initiate tobacco cessation therapies. One of the first steps of a smoking cessation plan is letting at least three people who care about you know that you’re serious about quitting, and then picking a day you want to quit, and sticking to it. Know your triggers, and when you get a craving, you can look at this online cessation plan for help.
Quitting smoking is incredibly important, and just as important as understanding your risk of lung cancer so you can catch an early diagnosis. If you are a smoker, the American Cancer Society recommends getting a low-dose CT scan if you are 55 to 77 years old, even if you feel you are in good health. Factors such as, if you are a current smoker, have quit within the past 15 years or have at least a 30-pack per year smoking history could put you or a loved one at a greater risk for developing lung cancer.
Take Methodist Healthcare’s free online risk assessment to understand your risk for lung cancer.
Unfortunately, by the time lung cancer is diagnosed, it has often spread limiting the treatment options. John went to Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, which has one of the most comprehensive lung cancer programs in the state.
At Methodist Heart and Lung Institute Lung Center, under the skillful hand of Dr. Ali Abedi, John underwent a biopsy using robotic bronchoscopy, a state-of-the-art procedure which Dr. Abedi describes as “game-changer” in the detection and diagnosis of lung cancer and ultimately saving the l ives of patients with the disease.
Without having to puncture the skin or surface of John’s lungs, Dr. Abedi was able to go into his chest by maneuvering a small catheter down through a breathing tube and then through the airways, which are about as thick as a human hair. By using a piece of brand-new technology, that looks like an arcade joystick, Dr. Abedi retrieved tissue samples from John’s lungs that determined John had two types of cancer, both caught at an early stage. This is the key to every survivor’s journey: catching it early means the chance of finding the cancer before it metastasized or spread into other parts of the body.
For more information, go to SAHealth.com/mammo or call to schedule your screening mammogram with STRIC today.
For more information, visit SAHealth.com/lungcancer
or schedule your annual screening* today.
*Physician order required. Schedule the screening online,
print the appointment confirmation and have your physician sign.
For more information, visit SAHealth.com/lungcancer
or call (210) 617-9000 to schedule a screening*.
John was fortunate to have caught his cancer in its early stages. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of lung cancer.
55-77
AGE
Lung Cancer Screening
smokers
Current
15 years
Those who have quit within the past
Those who have at least a 30 pack-year smoking history
1 pack a day for 30 years
2 packs a day for 15 years
Who may be eligible for a low-dose CT scan?
Methodist Healthcare encourages you to speak with your primary care physician to understand what you can do to decrease your risk of lung cancer, including your lung cancer screening. Need help finding a primary care physician? We can help. Find a Doctor to schedule an appointment.
*Physician order required. Schedule the screening online, print the appointment confirmation and have your physician sign.
Other lifestyle factors that could put you at a greater risk of lung cancer include, family history, smoking cigars and vaping. Smoking one cigar can be like inhaling as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes. Some people think vaping is safer or could help them quit smoking, but it can be as addictive as smoking and cause lung disease.
Methodist Healthcare partners with the South Texas Radiology Imaging Centers (STRIC) to provide low-dose CT lung cancer screenings to detect lung cancer, with a doctor’s referral. Schedule an online screening here, print the appointment confirmation and have your physician sign.
Methodist Cancer Care network offers a continuum of care from screening to diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and support through survivorship. John Underwood’s cancer journey has led him to remission. “I’m amazed I can breathe as well as I can now,” he says. He’s even able to keep a full and active lifestyle, running his own farm and keeping pet goats. He says, “I’ve promised my daughters I’m going to beat this.” And he did just that.