Why Early Lung Cancer Detection Can Mean More Treatment Options.

Every year, more people in the U.S. die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancer combined. One reason is that lung cancer can be difficult to detect early since it often begins with few, if any, noticeable symptoms. By the time warning signs appear, the disease is often more advanced and difficult to treat.

But there is also reason for optimism. Deaths from lung cancer continue to decline, due in part to fewer people smoking and advances in early detection and treatment.

For people at high risk, screening can find lung cancer before symptoms start and when it is more likely to be curable. If lung cancer is found, MedStar Health’s team of specialists can build a treatment plan around an individual patient and their specific cancer.

Lung cancer screening can find disease before symptoms appear.

Lung cancer screening is intended to find signs of disease in people who don’t have symptoms. The recommended test is a low-dose CT scan (LDCT). This quick, noninvasive scan produces detailed images of the lungs that can reveal small abnormalities that might not otherwise be noticed.

Screening isn’t recommended for everyone. Yearly LDCT screening may be appropriate if you:

• Are 50 to 80 years old

• Have or had at least 20 years of smoking (for instance, a pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years or two packs per day for 10 years)

• Currently smoke or quit within the last 15 years"

  *Talk with your doctor about screening even if you quit more than 15 years ago.

Feeling well doesn’t always mean your lungs are cancer-free. If you smoke now or smoked in the past, learning your pack-year history can help you and your doctor decide whether annual screening is appropriate.

The goal is to find lung cancer earlier, when your care team may have more options to consider. An abnormal screening doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer. Most findings, such as small lung nodules, turn out not to be cancer. Your care team will recommend the appropriate follow-up based on what the scan shows. 

Lung nodules can also be found incidentally when you have imaging for another reason. If that happens, our lung specialists and incidental nodule clinics can provide follow-up care to better understand the findings and determine whether monitoring, additional testing, or treatment is needed.

Start by understanding your personal risk.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. The longer someone smokes and the more they smoke, the greater their risk.

People who have never smoked can develop lung cancer, too. About 13% of people diagnosed with lung cancer never smoked. Other potential risk factors include secondhand smoke, radon, and exposure to substances such as asbestos. Genetics and family history may also affect your risk. Discuss your history and concerns with your healthcare provider.

Earlier detection can make more treatment options available.

When we diagnose lung cancer, determining its stage helps us understand how much cancer is present and whether it has spread. That information helps shape which treatments we consider.

Finding cancer at an earlier stage can give us more treatment options. The right approach depends on each patient’s details.

The care team considers the type and stage of cancer, along with your overall health and individual preferences. We use all that information to build a treatment plan that’s unique to you.

Lung cancer treatment personalized to you.

Lung cancer is generally grouped into two main categories: non-small cell lung cancer, which makes up about 85% of cases, and small cell lung cancer, which is less common but tends to grow faster. These cancers behave differently, and knowing which type you have helps guide treatment decisions.

MedStar Health’s lung cancer team includes doctors who treat cancer with medications and radiation, surgeons, lung specialists, pathologists, and radiologists. 

Together, these specialists can determine which treatments are appropriate and how they should work together in your care plan. Depending on your cancer and health, the treatment plan may include one or more of:

• Surgery to remove cancer may be an option for early-stage lung cancer and selected other cases. The amount of tissue removed depends on factors such as the tumor’s size and location. Some patients may be candidates for minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery.

• Radiation therapy directs high-energy radiation at cancer cells. It may be used on its own or together with other treatments.

• Chemotherapy uses medication to kill cancer cells. It may be used to treat the cancer, support another therapy, slow the cancer’s spread, or help relieve symptoms.

• Immunotherapy helps the body’s immune system recognize and fight cancer. It may be more appropriate for certain lung cancers than others.

• Targeted therapy uses drugs directed at specific features of lung cancer cells. Testing can identify certain changes in cancer cells. When one of these changes has a matching drug, targeted therapy may be an option.

Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, serves as the research engine that enables MedStar Health patients to access clinical trials.

Lung cancer treatment often involves more than one approach. Some patients need one form of treatment. Others may receive multiple treatments together or at different points in their care. When several treatments are needed, specialists work together to decide how and when each should be used.