Detecting Lung Cancer Blog

Since there is no widely recognized method of early lung cancer detection, unlike PSA for prostate cancer or mammography for breast cancer, 85% of lung cancer is found symptomatically.

Unfortunately, by the time symptoms are apparent and properly diagnosed, the lung cancer tends to be in an advanced stage—that is one of the reasons why the 5 year survival rate is only 15%, with nearly half of newly diagnosed patients not surviving the first year.

In our last post, we discussed the impact that celebrities who smoke can have on today’s youth – Now, let’s take a closer look at just how much of an impact that not just the celebrities, but the films themselves can have.

According to a February study in Great Britain, it’s not just candid shots of celebrities smoking that can have a negative impact—it’s the film shots that can also make a difference.

Kids need role models. In many cases, this job goes to the parents, older siblings or relatives, or family friends. One study, however, found that the most influential people in the lives of today’s youth are not parents, friends or anyone else who interacts with them on a daily basis.

We’ve lost many great musical talents to lung cancer, and the newest is no different. Gerard Smith of TV on the Radio recently passed away from the disease at only 36.

Look at the musical talent we’ve lost far too early due to lung cancer: George Harrison, Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys, Nat “King” Cole, Eddie Kendrick of the Temptations, Jimmy Dorsey, Rosemary Clooney, Sarah Vaughan, Duke Ellington, Bob Marley, Sandy West of the Runaways, Doug Fieger of the Knack (of the My Sharona fame) and so many more.

Below is the Kansas City Star reprint from AP writer Nekesa Mummbi Moody on the loss of TV on the Radio’s Gerard Smith.

Can we beat cancer?

It almost seems like a trick question. While anything is possible, something of that magnitude—actually beating cancer—seems like far too daunting of a task to even consider as a possibility. Right?

Maybe not.

With the 5-year lung cancer survival rate at only 15%, a lung cancer diagnosis is one of the most frightening things that can happen to a person.

Much like the stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance—many different thoughts and questions can enter a person’s mind. With an apparent lung cancer bias which can even affect those in the medical field, the fight that lung cancer patients face every day is daunting.

Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer, and the statistics surrounding the disease are frightening.

Why would you want to think about it if you didn’t have to? Why should you worry about a disease that, if you were to contract it, would likely result in death? That is a lot of stress and worry to put in your head, especially if you don’t currently have symptoms.

Since there is no widely recognized method of early lung cancer detection, unlike PSA for prostate cancer or mammography for breast cancer, 85% of lung cancer is found symptomatically.

Unfortunately, by the time symptoms are apparent and properly diagnosed, the lung cancer tends to be in an advanced stage—that is one of the reasons why the 5 year survival rate is only 15%, with nearly half of newly diagnosed patients not surviving thefirst year.

Some of the biggest A-List women in entertainment are shown above—but not for the reason you may think.

These leading ladies are not featured here because they won an Oscar, Grammy or Emmy—though many on this list did—but because they are likely at an increased lung cancer risk.

This esteemed list of actresses, comedians, musicians and celebrities were caught on camera in candid photos smoking a cigarette (or cigar).

You know someone who has just been diagnosed with lung cancer, and you want to confide in a friend. You tell them what happened, and they’re sympathetic, kind about the situation—but the first question they ask is “Did they smoke?”

As reported New York Times and many other major media outlets, one of the titans of Hollywood, Paul Newman—a.k.a. Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy or Eddie Felson—died in September 2008, initially reported simply as “cancer.”

What do many famous and influential celebrities, including Mel Gibson, Liam Neeson, John Malkovich, Russell Crowe, Brad Pitt, Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson all have in common? Is it Oscars, co-stars, neighbors, birthdays, the sixth degree of separation?

There are many myths and misconceptions about lung cancer, the #1 cancer killer in the United States. A recently published article by Lynne Eldridge MD on About.com  discusses some of these misconceptions.  We’ve taken excerpts from that article to share with you in this post.

A few weeks ago, I heard the old Brownsville Station’s song Smokin’ in the Boy’s Room, which sparked an idea that this might make a good discussion piece. Then, just this week, I read a CNN story on airport smoking lounges—another thing that caught my eye, given my busy travel schedule.  

This morning, featured on the front page of the Indianapolis Star, was breaking news on lung cancer!

According to the AP story, the annual cancer report came out yesterday and reported that, for the first time, death rates from lung cancer in women are dropping, in what could possibly be a turning point in the epidemic.

According to the annual report, the decline is small—less than 1% a year—but it has shown a consistent decline over the past 5 years.