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November is Lung Cancer Awareness month. 101 WRIF and Karmanos Cancer Institute want to empower you with the knowledge needed to know your risk and screening options.

Through a variety of support groups, educational programs, and therapy services, Karmanos strives to ensure that patients and caregivers have the tools and resources to care for not just their bodies but their minds, spirit, and basic needs, as well.

Lung Cancer Facts

• About 234,580 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2024.
• About 125,070 deaths will result from lung cancer in 2024.
• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among both men and women.
• Lung cancer is responsible for about 1 in 5 of all cancer deaths.
• Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined.
• The yearly number of lung cancer deaths is declining. The estimated number of deaths in 2023 was 127,070.
• The chance that a man will develop lung cancer in his lifetime is about 1 in 16. A woman’s lifetime chance of developing lung cancer is about 1 in 17.
• Around 80% of lung cancer deaths are thought to be a result of smoking.

Lung Cancer Screening

Screening for lung cancer is a multi-step process. It begins with an office visit to assess needs and risks. Eligible candidates will then undergo low-dose CT scans. These scans are more sensitive than X-rays and can detect abnormalities. A Karmanos radiologist then reads scans.

Men and women ages 50-80 who are current smokers or who quit no more than 15 years ago and have at least a 20-pack-year smoking history should be screened for lung cancer. Medicare covers lung cancer screening for patients 50-77 years old, and most commercial insurance plans cover it for patients 55-80.

Typically, there is no out-of-pocket cost for low-dose CT lung screening, but patients are encouraged to confirm with their health insurance provider. Lung cancer screenings also require a referral from your provider.

To learn more about lung cancer screening at Karmanos, visit karmanos.org/lungcancerscreening.

Lung Cancer Early Risk Factors

At very early stages, lung cancer may not exhibit symptoms. When symptoms occur, they may include a cough that does not go away, coughing up blood, chest pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, shortness of breath, wheezing, or respiratory infections such as bronchitis that reoccur or do not go away. When lung cancer spreads, it may cause bone pain, jaundice or swelling of the lymph nodes. Lung cancer may also spread to the brain, causing nervous system changes such as dizziness or balance problems, weakness or numbness in an arm or leg, headaches, or seizures.

The leading risk factor for lung cancer is smoking. Other risk factors include second-hand smoke and exposure to radon or other carcinogens. Some risk factors for lung cancer cannot be controlled. These include air pollution and family history. To learn more about lung cancer, visit https://www.karmanos.org/karmanos/lung-cancer-treated-at-karmanos