It’s the leading cancer killer of men and women in America, but only 15 percent of lung cancers are caught in their early stages.
So the right diagnosis, targeted treatment and genetic testing are critical.
Dr. Daniel Nader is here to discuss lung cancer and how Cancer Treatment Centers of America® can help find the right diagnosis and stage of lung cancer.
Advances in Lung Cancer Care: From Diagnosis to Treatment
Featured Speaker:
Dr. Nader has been recognized by Castle Connolly, U.S. News & World Report and Oklahoma magazine as a top doctor in pulmonary medicine, and Castle Connolly and Newsweek named him on their list of the "Top Cancer Doctors 2015" for the United States.
Learn more about Dr. Daniel Nader
Daniel Nader, MD
Dr. Daniel Nader leads the interventional pulmonology program (Lung Center) at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) at Southwestern Regional Medical Center. Thanks to his vision and determination, CTCA is able to offer patients the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. Dr. Nader, who has been with CTCA® since 1991, has performed more than 6,500 bronchoscopy procedures and provided more than 1,700 high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatments.Dr. Nader has been recognized by Castle Connolly, U.S. News & World Report and Oklahoma magazine as a top doctor in pulmonary medicine, and Castle Connolly and Newsweek named him on their list of the "Top Cancer Doctors 2015" for the United States.
Learn more about Dr. Daniel Nader
Transcription:
Advances in Lung Cancer Care: From Diagnosis to Treatment
Melanie Cole (Host): Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, surpassing breast prostate and pancreatic cancers combined, and the right diagnosis, targeted with a treatment and genetic testing, are critical when dealing with lung cancer. My guest today is Dr. Daniel Nader. He's an interventional pulmonologist and the Director of the Lung Center at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) at Southwestern Regional Medical Center.. Welcome to the show, Dr. Nader. Let's start with diagnosis. How important is it to have the right diagnosis?
Dr. Daniel Nader (Guest): Finding the right diagnosis and the stage of lung cancer is very critical. Many people are maybe appropriately diagnosed, but sometimes they're not staged appropriately. The diagnosis is critica,l as well as the staging. This helps direct what the treatment's going to be. We have advanced technologies that can help us diagnosis a lung cancer. This includes endobronchial ultrasound. This allows us to actually biopsy lymph nodes that are in the middle of the chest. This is very appropriate testing to do for staging of lung cancer and very important. We can also diagnose all the peripheral lung nodules. These are the small nodules that may be on the edge of the lung. We have technology called "navigational bronchoscopies" to allow us to get to those areas to do the appropriate biopsies.
Melanie: What are some of the symptoms that people might experience that would get them to see you so they can be diagnosed early?
Dr. Nader: Sure. Some of the most common symptoms include an unexplained cough, coughing up blood, some that may have chest pain, almost like a pleurisy-like pain, unexplained weight loss. Sometimes neck or facial pain can be symptoms. These are the more common things that can occur with someone with lung cancer.
Melanie: And what are the risk factors for lung cancer, Dr. Nader? Is there a certain pack a day, if people have been smokers? Is there a genetic component to lung cancer?
Dr. Nader: Well, all the above is true. Definitely, tobacco smoking is the most prominent and common risk factor for developing lung cancer. So, if you're a smoker or a former smoker who's had more than 30 pack years, that would be a pack a day for 30 years or two packs a day for 15 years. These individuals would be at significant risk for developing lung cancer. Now, family history is definitely a minor risk factor, and genetics are forming more of a role, and we're seeing that more commonly, especially in young women. Why that occurs, we're not for certain, but it may be related to hormonal effects. It could be related to estrogen. It may be related to triggers or second-hand smoking exposure. There's a variety of reasons yet to be finally determined.
Melanie: Equally as critical as the right diagnosis is the right treatment. Tell us about some of the leading- edge treatment options that you perform at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Dr. Nader: Sure. We have many and they include the use of CyberKnife VSI. This is advanced radiation technology that is used for early-stage cancer in patients that are not eligible for surgery. It can also be used for metastatic disease and other types of lung cancer. We have the da Vinci Xi, which is a minimally invasive treatment option from a surgical standpoint, again, for early-stage lung cancer. This robotic surgical platform requires only a few small incisions and offers great vision, precision and control for the surgeon. These patients usually recover quickly.
Melanie: What are some of the potential benefits of the da Vinci system?
Dr. Nader: Well, one is reduced pain; lower risk of infection or other complications; less blood loss; fewer transfusions; short hospital stays; less scarring and a quick return to normal activities.
Melanie: So, in just the last few minutes, Dr. Nader, what should people suffering from lung cancer be thinking about when they're seeking care?
Dr. Nader: Well, the most important things are, number one, do they have the right diagnosis? Number two, has the appropriate staging of the cancer been done? In patients, especially those who have adenocarcinoma or non-small cell lung cancer, has appropriate genetic testing been performed?
Melanie: And, what is your best advice for people that get this very scary diagnosis? What do you want them to know?
Dr. Nader: Well, it's important to know that our treatment options today are much different than they were 15 or 20 years ago. We have new technologies. We have new treatment programs. There are drugs and techniques and technologies that are available now that weren't available 10 or 15 years ago. So, there is hope in patients who have lung cancer, and we try to give that hope at Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Melanie: Thank you so much. It's great information. You're listening to Managing Cancer with Cancer Treatment Centers of America. For more information, you can go to cancercenter.com. That's cancercenter.com. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for listening.
Advances in Lung Cancer Care: From Diagnosis to Treatment
Melanie Cole (Host): Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, surpassing breast prostate and pancreatic cancers combined, and the right diagnosis, targeted with a treatment and genetic testing, are critical when dealing with lung cancer. My guest today is Dr. Daniel Nader. He's an interventional pulmonologist and the Director of the Lung Center at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) at Southwestern Regional Medical Center.. Welcome to the show, Dr. Nader. Let's start with diagnosis. How important is it to have the right diagnosis?
Dr. Daniel Nader (Guest): Finding the right diagnosis and the stage of lung cancer is very critical. Many people are maybe appropriately diagnosed, but sometimes they're not staged appropriately. The diagnosis is critica,l as well as the staging. This helps direct what the treatment's going to be. We have advanced technologies that can help us diagnosis a lung cancer. This includes endobronchial ultrasound. This allows us to actually biopsy lymph nodes that are in the middle of the chest. This is very appropriate testing to do for staging of lung cancer and very important. We can also diagnose all the peripheral lung nodules. These are the small nodules that may be on the edge of the lung. We have technology called "navigational bronchoscopies" to allow us to get to those areas to do the appropriate biopsies.
Melanie: What are some of the symptoms that people might experience that would get them to see you so they can be diagnosed early?
Dr. Nader: Sure. Some of the most common symptoms include an unexplained cough, coughing up blood, some that may have chest pain, almost like a pleurisy-like pain, unexplained weight loss. Sometimes neck or facial pain can be symptoms. These are the more common things that can occur with someone with lung cancer.
Melanie: And what are the risk factors for lung cancer, Dr. Nader? Is there a certain pack a day, if people have been smokers? Is there a genetic component to lung cancer?
Dr. Nader: Well, all the above is true. Definitely, tobacco smoking is the most prominent and common risk factor for developing lung cancer. So, if you're a smoker or a former smoker who's had more than 30 pack years, that would be a pack a day for 30 years or two packs a day for 15 years. These individuals would be at significant risk for developing lung cancer. Now, family history is definitely a minor risk factor, and genetics are forming more of a role, and we're seeing that more commonly, especially in young women. Why that occurs, we're not for certain, but it may be related to hormonal effects. It could be related to estrogen. It may be related to triggers or second-hand smoking exposure. There's a variety of reasons yet to be finally determined.
Melanie: Equally as critical as the right diagnosis is the right treatment. Tell us about some of the leading- edge treatment options that you perform at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Dr. Nader: Sure. We have many and they include the use of CyberKnife VSI. This is advanced radiation technology that is used for early-stage cancer in patients that are not eligible for surgery. It can also be used for metastatic disease and other types of lung cancer. We have the da Vinci Xi, which is a minimally invasive treatment option from a surgical standpoint, again, for early-stage lung cancer. This robotic surgical platform requires only a few small incisions and offers great vision, precision and control for the surgeon. These patients usually recover quickly.
Melanie: What are some of the potential benefits of the da Vinci system?
Dr. Nader: Well, one is reduced pain; lower risk of infection or other complications; less blood loss; fewer transfusions; short hospital stays; less scarring and a quick return to normal activities.
Melanie: So, in just the last few minutes, Dr. Nader, what should people suffering from lung cancer be thinking about when they're seeking care?
Dr. Nader: Well, the most important things are, number one, do they have the right diagnosis? Number two, has the appropriate staging of the cancer been done? In patients, especially those who have adenocarcinoma or non-small cell lung cancer, has appropriate genetic testing been performed?
Melanie: And, what is your best advice for people that get this very scary diagnosis? What do you want them to know?
Dr. Nader: Well, it's important to know that our treatment options today are much different than they were 15 or 20 years ago. We have new technologies. We have new treatment programs. There are drugs and techniques and technologies that are available now that weren't available 10 or 15 years ago. So, there is hope in patients who have lung cancer, and we try to give that hope at Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Melanie: Thank you so much. It's great information. You're listening to Managing Cancer with Cancer Treatment Centers of America. For more information, you can go to cancercenter.com. That's cancercenter.com. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for listening.