Lung cancer screening is a series of tests doctors conduct on patients they suspect of having lung cancer. Their objective is to look for the symptoms of this chronic disease at an early stage. This enables them to chalk out a proper treatment plan for the patient. In the process, the chances of recovering from the disease are high. Doctors generally recommend screening for lung cancer in people who fall under the high-risk category. They are within the age group of 55 years and have been smoking for a long time.
Paolo Boffetta is a leading Italian epidemiologist who is well-known throughout the world for his cancer research. He has a wealth of experience under his belt in a career spanning over 30 years. He has made ground-breaking contributions to the spread of cancer through alcohol consumption and smoking. He even has held important positions in some of the world’s most renowned cancer research institutes. These include the American Cancer Society, International Agency for Research on Cancer, German Cancer Research Center, and Karolinska Institute. He is presently the Associate Director of Population Sciences at the Tisch Cancer Institute in New York.
He says oncologists recommend people they suspect of having lung cancer to take a low-dose computed tomography scan.In this screening process, they lie down on their backs on an operating table. An x-ray machine emits small amounts of radiation and then takes in-depth images of both their lungs. The entire procedure only takes in a couple of minutes and does not cause any discomfort.By carefully examining these images, oncologists can tell whether they have lung cancer or not. Oncologists can then formulate a customized treatment plan after assessing their symptoms.However, they do not prescribe this screening for those who:
- Are above the age of 80 years,
- Have quit smoking for more than 15 years, and
- Develop other health issues that do not make surgery a viable option.
Advantages of screening for lung cancer detection
He further points out the following advantages of screening for the detection of lung cancer in people:
- Reassures them that they are not suffering from the disease if the results are negative,
- Identify symptoms which can lead to lung cancer and the stage they are in if present
- The early detection of the warning signs of lung cancer enables them to get proper treatment, and
- It helps oncologists to determine how far the disease has spread and the steps they need to take to arrest its further spread to other organs in the body.
As put by Paolo Boffetta screening allows oncologists to determine the onset of lung cancer in people. They can assess how far the disease has spread by examining symptoms which the images reveal. If the signs are small, oncologists take the right measures to ensure they do not develop further.It even enables them to formulate a proper treatment plan. This increases people’s chances of recovering from this chronic disease with time. If they are in an advanced stage of lung cancer, the proper treatment plan can be devised.
