How to Detect Lung Cancer: Early detection and more

The early detection of lung cancer allows for patients to have more treatment options and a far greater chance of survival. As a result, the 5-year survival rate for those diagnosed before the cancer has spread rises from 18 out of every 100 people to 55 out of every 100. But, the key is being tested for lung cancer early.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recently changed the guidelines for lung cancer screening.

Listen to two experts who helped establish the first set of screening guidelines on this episode from Hope With Answers: Living With Lung Cancer Podcast

NEW Lung Cancer Screening Recommendations: What does that mean?

Episode 5 Early Detection

Learn more about early detection

In this Hope With Answers℠ intro video, Dr. David Carbone from The Ohio State University Medical Center and David Sturges, lung cancer patient advocate and co-founder of LCFA, provide basic information about the importance of detecting lung cancer early. Scroll down to view the intermediate video where Dr. David Carbone and David Sturges dig a little deeper into the how and why of early detection for lung cancer.

How to detect lung cancer: Symptoms

Many times, symptoms do not manifest themselves in the early stages of lung cancer. Instead, most lung cancer patients are diagnosed in the late stages of the disease, making their treatment more problematic. Subsequently, this delay in diagnosis significantly reducing the overall lung cancer survival rate.

But, there are some classic symptoms of lung cancer that, by themselves, are generally not a cause for worry. If you experience any of these symptoms, please talk to your doctor to rule out lung cancer:

  • Persistent cough (especially if you are coughing up rust-colored sputum)
  • Shortness of breath
  • Hoarseness
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • Chest pain
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Bone pain

If your doctor recommends you be tested for lung cancer, there are several options currently available for this evaluation. Your doctor will recommend the best test for you:

How to detect lung cancer: Risk factors

There are many factors that might put you at risk for lung cancer. Many people believe that smoking alone causes lung cancer. But, increasingly, people who have never smoked or who quit smoking many years ago are being diagnosed with lung cancer.

If you have any of the following lung cancer risk factors, you should see your doctor to determine if you need further screening for cancer.

  • Smoking
  • Exposure to second-hand smoke
  • Exposure to radon gas
  • Exposure to asbestos
  • Exposure to other carcinogens
  • Air pollution
  • Arsenic in drinking water
  • Previous radiation to lungs
  • Personal or family history of lung cancer

Does insurance cover early detection testing?

Studies over the last 15 years using early detection screening such as spiral CT have been shown to reduce lung cancer deaths by 16% to 20%. Because of these findings, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends annual computed tomography (CT) screening for people who meet specific criteria. More importantly, this non-invasive diagnostic test may be covered by Medicare and most insurance companies.

If you answered YES to these 3 questions, you meet the criteria:

First criteria - Are you between the ages of 50 and 80?
Criteria 2: Are you asymptomatic?
Criteria 3: Do you currently smoke or did you smoke within the last 15 years and have a tobacco smoking history of at least 20 pack years - an average of one pack a day for 20 years?

If you answered YES to these 3 questions, you meet the latest criteria set by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that recommends annual computed tomography (CT) screening. This non-invasive diagnostic test may be covered by Medicare and insurance companies. Make an appointment with your doctor and discuss this testing with them.

If you answered NO to any of these questions BUT have any concerns regarding your lung cancer risks, you should make an appointment with your doctor.

Next step: Screening for lung cancer

More Research into Early Detection Needed

These insurance-covered screenings are a step in the right direction, however more research into early detection of lung cancer is desperately needed.

More than half of new lung cancer patients have never smoked or quit more than 15 years ago. This discounts them from meeting the CT screening recommendations discussed above.

We need more methods to detect lung cancer for all possible lung cancer patients.

The good news is, this is where lung cancer research is helping. Your donation to LCFA will go toward funding new research.

19 out of every 100 who qualify get lung cancer screening