Read one patient's story with lung cancer and how screenings save lives. As part of Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November, INTEGRIS Health is offering two special lung screening events open to the public.
Over 350 people die from lung cancer per day, according to the American Lung Association. As the leading cause of cancer death, INTEGRIS Health is raising awareness on how to maintain optimal lung health during Lung Cancer Awareness Month this November.
“Healthy lungs are fundamental to living a long, active and fulfilling life,” says Nathaniel Moulton, M.D., a board-certified interventional pulmonologist at INTEGRIS Health. “We often take our ability to breathe for granted, but lung health affects nearly every part of our daily lives from our ability to work and exercise to simply keeping up with the people we love.”
This summer, Stephanie Halpern (52) of Edmond was having stomach issues when she had a CT scan of her abdomen. That’s how doctors inadvertently discovered a pleural effusion, or abnormal buildup of excess fluid, on her lungs.
She underwent an Ion robotic lung bronchoscopy, which is a minimally invasive procedure that allows doctors to biopsy lung nodules with greater precision. It confirmed that she had stage 4 lung cancer.
“I was shocked,” admits Stephanie. “I am not a smoker. I didn’t have any lung related symptoms. Had I not gone to the doctor for an unrelated issue, I may not have discovered the tumor until it was too late.”
Stephanie was prescribed one round of chemotherapy and immunotherapy medication. She is responding well to the treatment. She wants to encourage others to be advocates for their own health. She says it’s important to stay on top of all the recommended screenings, to include lung screenings.
Lung Cancer Awareness Month is an important reminder to protect the lungs we have through clean air, avoiding tobacco exposure, staying active and recognizing lung disease early.
People often associate trouble breathing with something that comes with age, but noticing symptoms like this could be one of the first signs of lung disease. Early warning signs of lung disease may include:
If you recognize any of the above warning signs or if you have a significant smoking history, a lung screening would be recommended for adults aged 50 to 80 years.
“Lung cancer screening gives us the opportunity to find cancer before symptoms develop, when it is most treatable and potentially curable,” Moulton states. “Too often, lung cancer is still diagnosed at an advanced stage, not because we lack the tools to detect it earlier, but because too few eligible patients are being screened.”
As part of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, INTEGRIS Health will be offering two special lung screening events open to the public.
Physicians will be present at both events to answer questions and demonstrate different technologies. There will also be refreshments and entertainment. Call 405-773-6400 today, to schedule a lung scan at one of these events.
