Survival rates for lung cancer are improving: American Lung Association
AUSTIN, Texas - August 1 is World Lung Cancer Day.
While lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths, according to the American Lung Association, survival rates are improving.
Dr. Matthew Gaudet, a thoracic surgeon with cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons of Texas, who treats patients at St. David's North, Austin, joined FOX 7 Austin's Rebecca Thomas to discuss.
REBECCA THOMAS: So the State of Lung Cancer 2023 report shows the survival rate increasing by 22% in the last five years. Doctor go day. What is the reason for this?
DR. GAUDET: I think the biggest thing is that we're starting to detect lung cancers earlier. Lung cancer screening is becoming more mainstream. It was approved, you know, just over ten years ago, for patients who have a smoking history and are considered high risk for developing lung cancer. So we're able to find those lung nodules and lung cancers earlier and treat them as such. And we've also had major advancements in systemic therapy with immunotherapy and targeted therapy as well, to treat these systemically.
REBECCA THOMAS: Now, I know most cases are found in people who smoke or who have smoked. But who else is at risk? And what can people do to improve their chances of surviving lung cancer?
DR. GAUDET: People who have been exposed to secondhand smoke are at high risk as well, even though that's something that's a little more difficult to quantify than actively smoking. Environmental and occupational exposures to chemicals, and things such as radon also increase patients' risk. What they can do to improve their survival is just to be aware of these things. Be honest. And when they're meeting with their primary care doctor to discuss preventative health care and screening. Just bring these things up and discuss them so that they can be screened appropriately.
REBECCA THOMAS: When it comes to treatment. How has it evolved over the years for lung cancer specifically?
DR. GAUDET: Well, as a surgeon, I gravitate to surgical management. You know, we use minimally invasive techniques to do these lung resections. Now we use a surgical robot. St. David's North Austin has the newest model that we've gotten just in the last few months. That's the impact of surgery. In terms of recovery, it is shortened. Pain scores are much improved. We also have advanced diagnostic capacity at St. David's in North Austin, including a robotic bronchoscopy, which allows us to biopsy nodules that are small and peripheral, which otherwise would have been very difficult.
REBECCA THOMAS: Let's go back to screening because. Because that's where early detection is so important. When and how often should people get screened for lung cancer? What does that entail?
DR. GAUDET: So what it entails really is the primary care doctors do most of the screening. So, as part of their intake and annual physical talk about their smoking history, patients between the ages of 50 and 80 who have a 20 pack a year smoking history, which is on average one pack per day for 20 years, who are either currently smoking or have quit, within the past 15 years. Those are the patients who the US Preventive Services Task Force has identified as high risk in qualifying for lung cancer screening, and it just consists of a very quick, simple CT scan that is done with a low dose of radiation, one fifth of the dose of radiation of an average, chest CT scan and probably takes about, you know, 90s to complete.
REBECCA THOMAS: And could potentially save your life.
DR. GAUDET: 100%. You know, the lung nodules that are found on screening, the screening process has decreased, or improved the survival rate of, of, lung cancers by over 20%.
REBECCA THOMAS: All right, Dr. Matthew Gaudet, thank you so much for sharing your time and your expertise with us tonight.