An online ad may have saved Washington, D.C., resident Curtis Mapp’s life. Curtis had been a smoker for 57 years and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), so when he saw an ad online from MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Washington Hospital Center about lung cancer screening, he thought it would be a good idea to get screened. He talked to his primary care provider who agreed that screening made sense.
After the initial imaging found a nodule that was concerning for cancer on Curtis’ lung, he was quickly scheduled for a full body PET CT and referred right away for surgery with a thoracic surgeon at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. His surgeon performed a wedge resection on the right upper lobe of Curtis’ lung to remove the tumor. After testing the nodule that was removed from the lung, it was determined to be an adenocarcinoma. The good news was that it had not spread beyond his lung.
At his six-month follow-up appointment, there was no sign of the cancer returning. Curtis also took additional steps to improve his health, taking part in the MedStar Washington Hospital smoking cessation program.
The lung cancer screening program has helped diagnose cancer in dozens of area residents since it first began in 2018. “We screen about 75 to 100 people per month,” says Namita Puran, CRNP, manager of the MedStar Washington Hospital lung cancer screening and smoking cessation program. “Since the program started, we’ve diagnosed at least 44 lung cancers, the majority at stage 1 and 2, when all treatment options are available. Through the program, we provide quick connections to our multidisciplinary lung cancer treatment team so patients have fast access to the care they need.”
Namita also streamlines the care process for patients. The lung screening team is hands-on, arranging follow-up appointments and educating patients about their condition and treatment options so they can be active partners in decision-making. “Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for patients to promptly connect to care,” she says.
Curtis is glad he saw the ad for the MedStar Washington Hospital lung cancer screening program. “Thanks to the screening, they caught my cancer early. If you’ve ever smoked, get help to quit and get your lungs checked. It could save your life.”