Guests/Speakers
Dr. Martin Edelman: Thoracic medical oncologist and clinical investigator; Chair, Department of Hematology/Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center; Chair, Department of Medical Oncology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University; Chair, LCFA’s Scientific Advisory Board; retired U.S. Navy Medical Corps captain
Michelle Alarid: Patient host, lung cancer survivor, National Guard veteran who served in Desert Storm, and Voices of Hope Speakers Bureau member
When it comes to Veterans and lung cancer, the risk is real, and so is the hope. Patient host Michelle Alarid, a National Guard Veteran who served in Desert Storm, sits down with Dr. Martin Edelman, a thoracic medical oncologist, chair of LCFA’s Scientific Advisory Board, and retired Navy Medical Corps captain. Two Veterans, one conversation: who should get screened, why it saves lives, and how knowing your biomarkers can change everything.
“Because of early screening, my cancer was caught at stage 1A, and that’s why I’m a big advocate of early screening and knowing your biomarker. Both saved my life, and that’s why I’m still here today, over 10 years later.” — Michelle Alarid
Why Veterans Face a Higher Risk of Lung Cancer
Dr. Edelman explains that Veterans frequently fall within the group that should be screened. Tobacco use has historically been above average in the military, where cigarettes were once heavily subsidized. Many service roles also carried asbestos exposure, from Navy boiler techs to an Air Force Veteran he treated who had worked on aircraft brakes. Depending on the era, exposures like Agent Orange may add to that risk.
For Michelle, the first thing that came to mind at her 2015 diagnosis was the burning oil she breathed during the war. Only later did she learn about burn pits, diesel exhaust, and other airborne toxins she had been exposed to.
→ Know your risk. Learn how service-related exposures affect lung cancer risk and find Veteran-specific resources.
Who Should Get Screened, and Why It Works
Under current guidelines, people over 50 with a significant smoking history (officially 20 pack-years, or a pack a day for 20 years) should be screened. Dr. Edelman adds that research is underway on screening other high-risk groups, including people with a family history of lung cancer.
He knows the evidence firsthand. Dr. Edelman served on the endpoint verification committee for the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), which showed screening reduced both lung cancer deaths and overall deaths. A recent VA study shows an even more dramatic benefit.
“For lung cancer, it’s actually about 300 or so screened to save one life. So in the appropriate population, screening for lung cancer is an exceedingly effective approach and massively underutilized in the United States.” — Dr. Martin Edelman
→ See if you qualify. Use LCFA’s Lung Cancer Screening Quiz.
Don’t Wait for Symptoms
Lung cancer often causes no symptoms until it has advanced. Michelle’s only early clue was slight shortness of breath during workouts. What actually got her to the ER was lower back pain unrelated to her cancer, and the imaging that followed found her lung cancer early. Dr. Edelman notes that whatever the stage, patients who are found before symptoms appear do better.
Michelle describes her low-dose CT scan this way:
“My experience with low-dose CT scan, it’s quick, it’s painless, it’s non-invasive. It’s probably the easiest test I’ve ever taken.” — Michelle Alarid
Dr. Edelman calls the scan “a teachable moment”: a clear scan is never a reason to keep smoking, and screening is a chance to manage heart health, blood pressure, cholesterol, and other lung conditions, too.
→ Learn what to expect.
