I just attended a semi-annual meeting to discuss progress made in the screening for lung cancer, the finding of lung cancers and the treatment and CURE of lung cancer victims.
1. SCREENING: It is available for long term smokers and the insurance companies and Medicare will pay for the CAT scan screening necessary to find lung cancers early, diagnose them early, start treatment early and cure the lung cancer in the patient.
2. INFORMATION: Every patient who meets the criteria for screening should be told that screening is available. Doctors at major medical centers routinely tell their patients about screening. The pros and cons, the advantages and disadvantages.
3. PROS: Every hospital in the United States has a CAT scan machine. Screening takes minutes. The amount of radiation is minimal and once a year screening will have no effect. Be screened, put your mind at ease and be rescreened in a year. No cancer great; cancer found get treatment early and be cured.
4. CONS: Screening is no big deal. The problem arises when a lesion is found. Then find a physician who knows how to investigate that lesion, has the experience to investigate that lesion and has the back up staff to analyze the results. If you are in a metropolitan area, that will not be a problem. If you are not then you might want to spend the time to travel to a center. Complications arise when the follow up physicians lack the knowledge and experience to treat appropriately.
5. MORE INFORMATION: I have been doing pro-bono work in the area of lung cancer screening for nearly 10 years. Want information? Call us!
