Running Head: LUNG CANCER TESTING 1

Lung Cancer Testing

Julia Durso

University of Kentucky

Authors Note

This paper was written for CIS 111.

Abstract

This paper was written for the improvement and awareness of lung cancer disease. Lung

cancer has been a prevalent issue in the United States since the popularity of smoking cigarettes

arose. Since the cigarette industry is not going anywhere anytime soon, different measures need

to be taken to lower the prevalence and severity of this disease. Symptoms of lung cancer do not

surface until the disease is in its later stages, so it is extremely difficult to catch in its earliest

stages for a possible cure. In its later stages after the disease has spread outside the lungs, it is

much harder to treat and most people will die within 5 to 10 years. Symptoms can be masked and

the spread can be slowed. However, once the disease has spread outside the lungs, it usually

cannot be stopped. Two easy steps can be taken to prevent this disease from being so devastating,

since it has been for many years. Two recommendations to hospitals around the country can help

reduce the enormous death rate this disease is causing.

Introduction

According to the American Lung Association, the 5-year survival rate for early onset lung

cancer is 55 percent where the 5-year survival rate for advanced lung cancer is only 4 percent.

However, only 16 percent of lung cancer patients are diagnosed while the disease is in its earliest

stages. Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world, and it also has the

highest mortality rate. Lung cancer is a critical issue that does not seem to get a lot of attention.

In America, one in every fifteen people are diagnosed with lung cancer, which is an enormous

amount. The popularity of smoking cigarettes has been the main culprit for the high statistics of

this disease. Although there are treatments for lung cancer, most people do not even find out they

have the disease until it has spread throughout their body. At that point it cannot be completely

stopped, only slowed down. In order to help bring down the devastating mortality rate for this

disease, lung cancer needs to be detected and diagnosed much earlier. For this to happen, the

most effective methods of screening should be strongly recommended to patients who are at high

risk for lung cancer, new and effective methods of screening need to be put into place, and there

needs to be more awareness on the seriousness and prevalence of this disease.

Background

Many times, symptoms of lung cancer do not surface until the disease is in its late stages.

By that time, it is very difficult to treat and treatment will only slow the progression of the

disease. According to the Cancer Treatment Center of America, there are six stages of lung

cancer which include occult stage, stage 0, stage I, stage II, stage III, and stage IV. In occult

stage, cancer cells are found in the sputum, but there are not any tumors. In stage 0, the cancer is

tiny in size and has not spread at all. In stage I, the tumor is usually smaller than two inches and

is only in the lungs. Stage II is when the tumor grows and may affect the chest wall, diaphragm,
LUNG CANCER TESTING 4

and other areas of the lungs. In stage III, the tumor has grown very large and invaded other

organs close to the lungs. Stage IV is the final stage where the cancer has spread to distant areas

of the body. There are many methods of diagnosing a patient with lung cancer. However, some

are used more than others, some are more advanced, and some are newer.

There are imaging tests and physical tests. The most commonly used scans for lung

cancer detection are PET and CT scans. The Conquer Cancer Foundation states that, PET and

CT scans are usually combined to get a clear image of the organ and tumor. They can also be

used to find the right spot for a biopsy, plan radiation therapy, and evaluate the size of tumors to

see if treatment has been effective. There are many other tests where the doctor takes a sample of

tissue from different areas of the body to test for cancerous cells as well, but these are usually

done after something abnormal has come up on the scan.

Right now, the American Cancer Society has guidelines as to who should be tested for

lung cancer. However, these guidelines are not wide enough to be able to catch lung cancer in its

earliest stages, which is the issue at hand. Their guidelines say that patients should be 55 to 74

years old, have at least a 30-pack a year smoking history, and either smoke or have quit in the

last 15 years.

Recommendations

The first thing that needs to be done is to spread awareness. Although it sounds simple, it

would be extremely beneficial. To accomplish this, hospitals should have to display brochures

and boards that illustrate the prevalence and seriousness of lung cancer along with other types of

very deadly cancers. The doctors should also have to recommend PET-CT scans to any patients

with a history of smoking so that all patients can be forewarned and aware of what can happen to

them.
LUNG CANCER TESTING 5

Another thing that hospitals can do is to strongly encourage patients get PET-CT scans

once every 5 years to ensure catching any tumors in the area around the lungs early on. This

would not only catch lung cancer early on, but also tumors in many other areas of the body. If

any questionable spots are found on their scan, the patient should then be encouraged to have

more tests done such as a biopsy or more scans. This will greatly help the issue of catching lung

cancer at a late stage and therefore, not being able to stop it.

Shortcomings

Lung cancer takes a devastating amount of lives every year. However, the prevalence of

lung cancer and lung related diseases has decreased drastically since the 1980s, as shown by the

statistics of the Center for Disease Control. There used to be more deaths due to lung cancer in

the United States because of the much higher rate and popularity of smoking cigarettes.

However, lung cancer is still the most common type of cancer, and it also still has the highest

mortality rate of any type of cancer. It may not be as large of an issue as it used to be, but it is

still very significant in the United States that causes hundreds of thousands of deaths every year.

There is also the issue that PET and CT scans can expose patients to radiation and small

amounts of radioactive material, according to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. With

issues such as this, patients need to weigh the pros and cons of catching a deadly disease early on

or to expose themselves to small amounts of radiation and radioactive material that have the

possibility of harming them later on in life. Although some might be hesitant to expose

themselves to these harmful substances, everyday life can also expose humans to radiation.

However, exposing yourself to a little bit of radiation every once in a while might be the lesser of

two evils when dealing with a disease as deadly as lung cancer.

Data

Figure I.

Figure I illustrates the importance of catching lung cancer early on. The survival rate is
exponentially higher in the earlier stages than it is in stage IV, where lung cancer is most
commonly caught.
LUNG CANCER TESTING 7

Figure II.

Figure II illustrates the number of deaths due to different types of cancers. It is apparent that lung
cancer is much more deadly than even the other cancers that lead in mortalities.

Conclusion

Lung cancer is such a prevalent issue because it is usually caught too late. The main risk

factor for this disease is the large population of Americans that smoke cigarettes on a daily basis.

Lung cancer is a very large issue because it is not only the most common type of cancer, but also

the most fatal. There are two steps that can be taken to improve this issue; these are to raise

awareness of the severity of this disease and to recommend smokers to get PET-CT scans once

every five years. This is a very important issue that can be significantly improved in a few easy
LUNG CANCER TESTING 8

steps. Most people ignore issues like this because they think it will not happen to them. Instead

of being part of this overwhelming problem, be part of the solution.

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