Smoking is the leading risk factor for lung cancer, which causes 1 in 5 cancer deaths. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. Most lung cancer cases are diagnosed at later stages when the cancer has spread to other organs. At that point, treatment options are less likely to be effective and survival is lower. But, with early detection and intervention, lung cancer can be survivable.
Atrium Health Navicent now offers an online health risk assessment to help individuals learn more about lung cancer screening. A low-dose CT scan, is a helpful tool for individuals at a high risk for developing lung cancer.
“Patient outcomes are more favorable and cancer is easier to treat when it’s found early,” said Dr. Muhammad S. Khan, an Atrium Health Navicent pulmonologist. “Even if you’ve stopped smoking, you are still at risk for lung cancer and should learn more about eligibility for lung cancer screening. Have a conversation with your primary care provider, or take Atrium Health Navicent’s online health risk assessment, and follow-up to schedule a screening if you’re eligible.”
You may qualify for lung cancer screening if you:
Are between the ages of 50 and 80
Smoked cigarettes in the last 15 years
Have a 20 pack year history, for example:
1 pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years
2 packs of cigarettes per day for 10 years
½ pack per day for 40 years
Atrium Health Navicent offers low-dose CT lung screenings at several locations, including:
Atrium Health Navicent Imaging & Laboratory (1650 Hardeman Ave., Macon)
Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin (821 N. Cobb St., Milledgeville)
Atrium Health Navicent Peach (1960 Ga. 247 Connector, Byron)
Atrium Health Navicent Imaging Monroe (120 N. Lee St., Suite B, Forsyth)
If you have had a lung nodule (a small, round abnormal growth of tissue) found on a CT scan, it is important to follow up with your doctor to determine your next steps, such as a biopsy of the nodule. This year, Atrium Health Navicent introduced a new, minimally-invasive procedure used to diagnose lung cancer.
The Ion Robotic Bronchoscopy system is a robotic-assisted platform for minimally invasive biopsy in the lung. While a patient is under general anesthesia, a doctor uses an ultra-thin, highly maneuverable robotic catheter to test for cancerous cells by reaching parts of the lungs not possible through a standard biopsy. The technology uses CT scan data to generate a 3D image of the patient’s lungs, with detail down to the branches and nodules.
If a biopsy does test positive for cancer, surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and immunotherapy are offered at the Atrium Health Navicent Peyton Anderson Cancer Center, which also is home to a full continuum of care ranging from prevention and diagnosis to treatment and survivorship services.
If you or a loved one has concerns about cancer risk factors, available screenings or cancer care, contact Atrium Health Navicent Peyton Anderson Cancer Center at 478-633-3000. To find a doctor, visit www.NavicentHealth.org and click “Find A Doctor.”