November Is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Early Detection Is The Key
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
Doctors say smokers and non-smokers alike can suddenly find that they have been stricken, even if they are not exhibiting symptoms.
"Early detection is the key. If you catch it while it is small, it is minimally evasive surgery, two small holes, I was back in the gym in a month," said lung cancer survivor Gerald Riley.
Riley said his cancer was discovered after another serious health threat.
"Born in Virginia, which is a tobacco state, I began smoking when I was 12-years-old. I smoked for 60 years which led to a heart attack. Once the cold fingers of death touch you, you decide to stop smoking. Two years later I developed cancer," he said.
"People can be perfectly fine for decades. It's not unusual for someone to come in, have something else going on then a short time later it shows up," said Dr. Dennis Tishko, Director of Thoracic Oncology at Broward Health.
Lung cancer does not get the publicity it deserves, other cancers much more high profile.
"Lung cancer is killing more people than colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer combined, it is a huge killer," said Dr. Tishko.
Fortunately, it was not a killer in Riley's case. It was detected early, surgically removed and he did not have to endure chemotherapy.
"They did minimally invasive surgery and took out the cancer. Luckily they caught it in its early stages, it was small, about the size of the end of my thumb. I have been healthy ever since," said Riley.
"The screening for lung cancer is amazingly simple. There are no needles, no shots, no pain. It is a rapid CT scan, about three seconds. So those three seconds to save your life is probably the best investment out there. It is painless, quick, and easy."
Most insurances cover early detection and surgery. Anyone over 55 who was or is a smoker should get scanned.
About 25,000 people who never smoke die of lung cancer each year.
