Staying Informed and Knowing Early Detection Options Can Keep You and Your Family Living Well

For many families, November signals the start of the holiday season. It is a special time to gather with loved ones and check-in to make sure everyone is happy and healthy. November is also lung cancer awareness month.

VisionGate wants to help you, your family and loved ones learn more about who is at risk, the impact, and the types of lung cancer. Because keeping yourself informed about the risks and early detection options can provide comfort now through holidays and into the future.

It’s Not Just Smokers Who Are At Risk of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer affects hundreds of thousands of people every year, with a low survival rate due to late detection. In fact, Lung Cancer takes more lives annually in the United States than the next three most common cancers combined. Only 19% of people diagnosed with lung cancer expect to survive for five years or more, but if caught early, chances of a 5-year survival rate improve dramatically.

Understanding your risk factors can help you take advantage of early detection options. Heavy smokers are high risk patients, but there are also several other factors that may increase your risk of Lung Cancer, such as family history, emphysema and COPD.

Current lung cancer detection methods rely on a CT scan (LDCT) and are often only offered to high-risk patients or those who are symptomatic. Unfortunately, if you have symptoms of lung cancer, it is more likely to be a later stage.

It is important to be aware of the risks and start talking to your doctor early, even before any symptoms start to show.