April 1, 2021 | Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States behind skin cancer and breast cancer among women and prostate cancer in men. It is also the most common cause of cancer death in both men and women in the U.S. After increasing for decades, lung cancer rates are decreasing nationally as fewer people smoke. Over 200,000 cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year, according to the National Cancer Institute, accounting for roughly 12 percent of all new cancer cases. The two types of this form of cancer are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer is less common than non-small cell lung cancer, which is an umbrella term for several types of the disease. Non-small cell lung cancer include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma. Regardless of type, exciting advances have been made for treatment of all types of lung cancer in the past few years.

April 1, 2021 | Lung cancer begins in the lungs and may spread to lymph nodes or other organs in the body, such as the brain. When cancer cells spread from one organ to another, they are called metastases. Lung cancer can be difficult to diagnose as it typically doesn’t cause any symptoms in its earliest stages and because the symptoms vary from person to person. By the time the disease is in an advanced stage, the patient may have any number of symptoms, including a new cough that doesn’t go away, chest pain, shortness of breath and hoarseness. Coughing up blood, losing weight without trying and bone pain are other signs of possible lung cancer. Persistence of any of these symptoms will require a visit with your health care provider. If you smoke and have been unable to quit, make an appointment soon. Your doctor can recommend strategies for quitting smoking, such as counseling, medications and nicotine replacement products.

April 1, 2021 | The National Cancer Institute measures a person’s smoking history in “pack-years.” A 20 pack-year, for example, is equivalent to smoking one pack per day for 20 years or two packs per day for 10 years. Lung cancer is best treated if it is caught at an early stage. Some Americans who are at high risk for the disease can now get an annual low-dose CT scan as part of a screening program to improve the detection and cure of lung cancer. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force announced new guidelines earlier this month recommending that current and former smokers ages 50 to 80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history be enrolled in a CT lung screening program to improve detection of and survival from lung cancer. The task force’s recommendations mean insurers must offer the screening without a copay to people who meet the criteria. About 15 million people are estimated to meet the new criteria, nearly double the prior number.

April 1, 2021 | There are certain things you can do to decrease the risk of developing lung cancer. Dr. Matthew Steliga, a thoracic surgeon at UAMS’ Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, says if you smoke you should quit immediately. Your risk of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes you smoke each day and the number of years you have smoked. For those unable to quit on their own, help is available from your doctor. Be sure to ask about certain options like nicotine replacement products, medications and support groups. There are also many helpful and free resources available throughout the United States by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW, or 1-800-784-8669. There is good news: Quitting at any age can significantly lower your risk of developing lung cancer. In addition, quitting smoking decreases risk of many types of cancer besides lung cancer, lowers rates of heart attacks, and decreases emphysema and other lung diseases.

April 1, 2021 | Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, and the smoke breathed out by the smoker. People can be exposed to secondhand smoke in homes, cars, the workplace, and public places like bars and restaurants. Inhaling secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer in nonsmoking adults. Approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year among adult non-smokers in the United States as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. The Surgeon General estimates that living with a smoker increases a non-smoker’s chances of developing lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. The best way to protect everyone from secondhand smoke is to completely eliminate smoking in indoor spaces. Separating smokers from non-smokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot completely eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke.