Wide range of diagnostic evaluations exists

An early detection screening program for lung cancer with low-dose CT scanning is being offered at the LSU Feist-Weiller Cancer Center. Lung cancer is the second most common cause of cancer among men and women and the most common cause of cancer death, representing about 26 percent of all cancer deaths. Screening can lead to early detection of cancer when it is small and has not spread. Detecting lung cancer early using low-dose CT scanning leads to a significant improvement in survival. Lung cancer early detection with these CT scans is comparable to early detection of breast cancer with a mammogram.

Shreveport’s Feist-Weiller Cancer Center offers the community access to the only American College of Radiology-designated Lung Cancer Screening Center in this area.

Low-dose CT scanning is the first and only method that is effective in detecting lung cancer early and that results in a statistically significant reduction in lung cancer mortality.

The American Cancer Society recommends that lung cancer screenings be undertaken at a program that has expertise with this form of screening. This program has recently celebrated its first anniversary and has extensive experience.

If a spot or lesion in the lung is discovered, the Feist-Weiller and University Health program offers a wide range of diagnostic evaluations to confirm a lung cancer diagnosis. Diagnostic tools include CT scans, PET scans and specialized biopsy methods. In fact, the Interventional Pulmonary Program offers state-of-the-art techniques including navigational bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound. These techniques are not available at other hospitals in North Louisiana.

Another key to an optimal outcome is a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care. Doctors with expertise in radiology, interventional pulmonary, thoracic surgery, pathology, oncology and radiation oncology all work together on our campus to provide comprehensive care. LSU Health Shreveport is an academic medical center benefitting from the collaboration of the LSU School of Medicine and our hospital partner, University Health. This center provides a wide range of lung cancer diagnostic tools and treatments, including immunotherapy, genomic (genetic) testing and other cutting-edge options potentially available through clinical trials.

Anyone interested in these screenings can be referred by their health-care provider or self-referred. Our program follows national guidelines for lung cancer screening eligibility. Individuals should be between ages 55 and 77. They must be a cigarette smoker who smoked the equivalent of one pack a day for 30 years (or two packs a day for 15 years). Former smokers are also eligible for screening if they quit smoking in the past 15 years. An overview of the program, along with information on smoking cessation, is shared with each patient and takes about 30 minutes. The low-dose CT scan will be performed after the initial visit. Patients will then be contacted to review the results and discuss the next steps. The patient’s primary care doctor will be advised of screening results. Most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover the screening at no cost to the individual.

No one wants to have a diagnosis of cancer; however, if a small lung cancer is found, it may be successfully treated. Surgical removal is universally the best treatment option for cure. For those who do not want surgery or are unable to tolerate surgery, there are sophisticated forms of radiation therapy that can be utilized. A key point remains – to cure cancer, early detection is critical.

Ultimately, the solution to most lung cancer is to encourage people to stop smoking tobacco. Unfortunately, the risk of lung cancer remains high for 15 to 20 years after a person stops smoking. Smoking is also a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and COPD/emphysema. If you know someone who smokes, let them know you care about them by suggesting they stop smoking.

Shawn Milligan, MD, director, Lung Cancer Screening Program, Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, LSU Health – Shreveport.

For More Information:

To inquire about lung cancer screenings or make an appointment, call our clinic at (318) 813-4006. Further information is available at the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center Web site at www.feistweiller.org