Women and Lung Cancer

By K. Adam Lee, MD, Medical Director, Thoracic Surgery & Lung Center of Excellence at Jupiter Medical Center

I am here to share a message that affects every woman. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women, far greater than breast cancer. In fact, lung cancer is the deadliest cancer for both men and women. Today, in the United States, an average of 181 women die each day of lung cancer, which is one woman every eight minutes. We know that cigarette smoking has a direct correlation to lung cancer; but 9% of men and women with lung cancer have never smoked, we refer to them as never smokers. These never smokers are now the sixth leading cause of all cancer deaths and two-thirds of never smokers with lung cancer are women. These numbers are increasing.

The incidence of lung cancer in men has decreased over the last 40 years, and the incidence has risen for women. Many women are not aware of the risk factors. Some of the non-tobacco-related causes of lung cancer include exposure to:

• Radon gas in the home
• Previous radiation therapy to the chest for treatment of other cancers
• Secondhand smoke
• Vaporized oils resulting from stir-fry cooking over high heat
• Asbestos while on the job or living with someone who has been exposed to asbestos
• Cancer-causing agents in the workplace such as chemicals, pesticides, and various products in factories, nail or hair salons, and other job sites

There are ways to detect lung cancer early and achieve a cure. If you find it early, you can be cured. Early detection is the first step. A low-dose, computerized axial tomography (CT) scan lung screening is proven to find lung cancers in the early stages when more than 80% can be cured. However, only 4% of people at high risk are screened. This number must increase to change survival rates. The good news is that Medicare and other insurance plans now pay for CT screening and many medical centers have programs developed to provide this lifesaving scan.

The Early Lung Cancer Action Program (ELCAP) screened smokers at 40 years of age and older with a 20 pack-year history or greater, studying the benefits of low-dose CT lung scans versus traditional chest x-ray. CT lung screening scans were found to be superior to chest x-rays and had the same detection rate of lung cancers as women screened with mammography for breast cancer. Demonstrating CT screening is just as important, if not more so, for early diagnosis for women. Early detection matters! Lung cancers when detected early in the initial stages demonstrate five-year survival rates which are extremely high.

If something suspicious is found upon screening, you have access to Jupiter Medical Center’s lung nodule clinic. Not every lung nodule ends with a cancer diagnosis. Early detection, accurate evaluation of nodules, and rapid intervention are all keys to a good outcome. Our lung nodule clinic is here to give you a diagnosis as early as possible. Because the only thing worse than finding cancer is finding it too late. It is important to know that people with a lung nodule or nodules do not experience symptoms. Lung nodules are one of the most common abnormalities seen in images. Most lung nodules are not cancer, however, some of them may represent an early stage of primary lung cancer. Determining whether the lung nodule is benign or malignant is important. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of early cancer, presenting as a lung nodule, may be the best chance to cure cancer.

If you have a suspicious nodule that needs to evaluated, diagnosis and staging are now performed utilizing minimally invasive techniques. These techniques include endobronchial ultrasound and electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy. Bronchoscopic biopsies make it easier to reach the more peripheral and distant lung nodules that were previously very difficult to reach.

Surgery has been the gold standard for curative intent for lung cancer. The good news is thoracic surgery has changed over the last 20 years, from large incisions to minimally invasive approaches, including robotic-assisted lung surgery. Jupiter Medical Center’s expert surgical team uses the latest advances and minimally invasive techniques. During robotic surgery, the surgeon sits at the system console next to the patient and has a 3D view inside the patient’s body while controlling the robot’s four arms in real-time. The system translates the surgeon’s hand, wrist, and finger movements with da Vinci’s miniaturized instruments. Incisions measure less than an inch for the instruments. The robotic approach to lung cancer and other minimally invasive techniques have demonstrated less pain, less blood loss, shorter hospital stays, fewer complications, and a quicker return to daily activities.

Improved survival rates in women are possible using early detection through low-dose CT lung screening. It is important to be seen at a facility that takes a multidisciplinary team approach to lung nodules and lung cancer. At Jupiter Medical Center’s Thoracic Surgery & Lung Center of Excellence, we have a comprehensive program that spans the entire continuum of care from CT Lung Screening, advanced technology for diagnosis, minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery to a dedicated patient navigator and a broad array of support services.

If you are concerned about your risk, we can help. Our lung patient navigator can help evaluate your risk and guide you through the entire process. Women at a higher risk of developing lung cancer can benefit from regular screenings and close monitoring for early detection. If you have a family history of lung cancer, our team of specially trained genetic counselors and physicians work together to provide education, hereditary cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling, and testing. They can develop a personalized surveillance plan based on your specific risk factors. Be aware of your risks and do not be afraid to ask for a CT lung screening; it may change your life.

For more information about CT lung screening and determining your risk, visit jupitermed.com/lung or call 561-263-3671.