November Is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month

STAMFORD, CT — Since November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Stamford Health is trying to get the word out about the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States.

"Going into the holidays, whether it's a Thanksgiving meal or Christmas meal, not having to get up and go outside and smoke is a great thing to reduce both your family's annoyance with you, and really to put you in the healthiest way forward," said Dr. Michael Bernstein, Associate Director of Pulmonary and Critical Care at Stamford Health.

"November is a great time for people to quit smoking, to get their first lung cancer screening scan, or get a repeat lung cancer screening scan if they're eligible."

According to the American Lung Association, approximately 541,000 Americans living today have been diagnosed with lung cancer at some point.

The American Cancer Society estimates that by the end of 2021, there will be about 235,760 new cases of lung cancer in men and women, and about 131,880 deaths from the disease.

The main cause, of course, is from smoking cigarettes, Bernstein said.

Bernstein said lung cancer typically affects people over the age of 60, since many people who get lung cancer have already stopped smoking years earlier. There's a lag time from a final cigarette to getting diagnosed, and potentially dying.

Lung cancer from non-smokers is also seen, Bernstein said, adding that in places like Fairfield County, there's a high-level of radon in groundwater that could contribute to some cancer development.

People can also be exposed in certain jobs to asbestos or chemicals.

"For catching and curing, we want to find cancers at the earliest or smallest stage. Unfortunately there are very few, if any, warning signs for lung cancer at an early stage. There are no nerves in the center of the lung, so you won't feel something growing in your lung at all," Bernstein explained. "Shortness of breath, which can be associated with more late stage lung cancers, is often occurring also in patients who have shortness of breath from smoking or other medical problems."

Late stage lung cancer can be defined by a heavy cough, shortness of breath and chest pains, Bernstein said.

The biggest preventative measure one can take is to not smoke cigarettes, Bernstein said, noting that the "jury's still out" on vaping and inhaling non-tobacco smoke or marijuana smoke.

Lung cancer screenings are recommended for anyone who smoked for more than what's called "20-pack years," or a pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years, two packs of cigarettes a day for 10 years, or half a pack for 40 years.

Screenings are also recommended for people between the ages of 50-80. Guidance on the age range was widened, Bernstein said, in an effort to screen more people.

"A simple, quick CT Scan of the chest is the most powerful way to detect lung cancer at an early stage, and it dramatically helps in reducing lung cancer deaths," Bernstein said.

Bernstein said Stamford Health is well-equipped at handling lung cancer patients and screenings.

"We have a really integrated lung cancer program that starts from smoking cessation and smoking prevention, all the way through lung cancer screening with great collaboration with our radiology department, to screen a lot of patients," Bernstein said. "We have pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons to diagnose lung cancer at early stages and less invasively."

Stamford Health is also integrated with the Bennett Cancer Center and the Dana Farber Brigham Cancer Center Collaborative to treat patients with advanced disease right in Stamford.

For more information on lung cancer, visit the American Lung Association or Stamford Health website.