A Lung Cancer Survivor’s Story & the Value of Early Detection
It was the summer of 2009, when Barbara was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer.
Barbara was 69 years old and had been dealing with a persistent case of what was initially diagnosed as bronchitis. She was a long term smoker, with over 30 pack years (# of years times # of packs/day), and like many smokers, had occasional respiratory issues. She had also undergone imaging recently which had shown a pulmonary nodule but nodules are also common in long term smokers.
Some recent studies have shown that as much as 50% of long term smokers exhibit pulmonary nodules with most of them being benign.
Given the pulmonary nodule and ongoing respiratory symptoms, her pulmonologist recommended EarlyCDT-Lung as an additional biological tool in addition to imaging to assist them with Barbara’s case.
EarlyCDT-Lung is a simple blood test to aid physicians in risk assessment and the early detection of lung cancer in high risk patients; most notably long term smokers and former smokers.
Barbara’s EarlyCDT-Lung results came back positive. In combination with the previous respiratory symptoms and imaging she was referred to a thoracic surgeon in Tennessee for further assessment.
The surgeon conducted a biopsy of the pulmonary nodule. During the biopsy the nodule, under pathological examination, was determined to be a Stage 1A non-small cell lung cancer.
The surgeon proceeded to complete a resection of the nodule at that time. After a successful surgery, Barbara was released with a very positive prognosis which included no chemotherapy or radiation treatments.
Let’s fast forward to the fall of 2010, as a British TV crew with the national broadcast channel ITV visited Barbara at her home in Kentucky to interview her on her successful battle with lung cancer. Watch her amazing story now.
Thank you Barbara, for allowing us to share your story with our audience.
Barbara's story of cancer is just one of many. If you would like to honor someone who has passed away from lung cancer, or if you or someone you know is a lung cancer survivor, please feel free to honor that individual on the Lung Cancer Awareness Wall.
