How Do Lung Cancer Screenings Save Lives
Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in the United States in both men and women. Getting regular lung cancer screenings can help save lives. Learn more about who needs to be screened, what a screening is like, what happens after you’ve been screened and much more from Tiffany Matonak MMS, PA-C, an expert in thoracic surgery and lung cancer at UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center, part of the UM Cancer Network.
Featured Speaker:
Tiffany currently lives in Edgewater Maryland with her husband and 3 small children where they enjoy a number of outdoor activities, including hiking, geocaching, fishing, traveling, running and biking. Learn more about the lung screening program at UM BWMC.
Tiffany Matonak, MMS, PA-C
Born and raised in Alaska, Tiffany Matonak, MMS, PA-C, attended undergraduate studies at University of Alaska Anchorage where she was involved in undergraduate research in microbiology studying a correlation of heavy metal resistance and antibiotic resistances in local waterways. She received a Bachelor’s of Science in Biological Sciences. Tiffany moved to Maryland in late 2008 when she was accepted into a Physician Assistant program at Anne Arundel Community College where she received her certificate in Physician Assistant Studies. She received a Master of Medical Science degree from St. Francis University in 2011. Tiffany started working at UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center (UM BWMC) in October 2011 in Surgical Oncology and Cardiothoracic Surgery. She has run multiple multidisciplinary tumor boards, spearheaded journal clubs, trained multiple APPs for Surgical Oncology and Thoracic Surgery and made her main focus Thoracic Surgery in early 2013. She helped establish the first Lung Screening Program that started performing reduced dose CT chests in November 2012. Tiffany is currently the Lead Thoracic Surgery Physician Assistant at UM BWMC where she is the first assist in the OR for Lung cancer surgeries, care for post lung resection patients in the hospital, helps run a full time Thoracic Surgery outpatient clinic and navigates patients through the current lung screening program.Tiffany currently lives in Edgewater Maryland with her husband and 3 small children where they enjoy a number of outdoor activities, including hiking, geocaching, fishing, traveling, running and biking. Learn more about the lung screening program at UM BWMC.
Transcription:
How Do Lung Cancer Screenings Save Lives
Caitlin Whyte: Welcome to Live Greater, a health and wellness podcast brought to you by the University of Maryland Medical System. We put knowledge and care within reach, so you have everything you need to live your life to the fullest. This podcast is sponsored by the UM Cancer Network.
Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in the United States in both men and women. But getting regular lung cancer screenings can help save lives.
Today, we'll learn more about who needs to be screened, what a screening is like and what happens after you've been screened with Tiffany Matonak, an expert in thoracic surgery and lung cancer at UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center, part of the UM Cancer Network. So Tiffany, let's start our conversation off with a basic question. What is a lung screening?
Tiffany Matonak: So screening is basically a preventative health. So you can think of it at like a colonoscopy that screens for colon cancer or a mammogram that screens for breast cancer, but less invasive. So specifically, a lung screen is a low-dose CT scan of the chest that produces pictures or images of the lungs to detect many lung diseases or abnormalities of the lungs. Specifically, the lung screen CT is low dose and has up to 90% less radiation than a conventional CT scan of the chest would.
Caitlin Whyte: So why are lung screening so important?
Tiffany Matonak: Lung screens are important because people tend to not experience any symptoms from lung cancer in the early stages. Symptoms usually show up in later stages of the disease and a lung screening can help identify a problem before you even have symptoms. It's estimated that in the US 236,000 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022. And approximately 130,000 Americans lives are lost annually. So if you think about that, one in 16 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime. Lung cancer specifically is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. More people die of lung cancer than breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer combined. It kills more than three times as many men as prostate cancer does and three times as many women in the US as breast cancer.
Caitlin Whyte: Wow. Okay. So on that note, who should be getting a lung screening?
Tiffany Matonak: So the most important people are our high risk category of smokers. So smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and is responsible for 80% of lung cancer deaths. Specifically for lung cancer screening, the criteria to qualify is being 50 to 77 years old, asymptomatic, meaning that you do not have any signs or symptoms of lung cancer, such as shortness of breath, coughing up blood, trouble breathing with walking short distances, tobacco smoking history of at least 20 pack years. So a pack year is equal to smoking one pack per day for one year. So in one pack of cigarettes is 20 cigarettes. You have to be a current smoker or one who has quit smoking within the last 15 years. And lastly, you need to receive an order for a lung cancer screening from a provider.
Caitlin Whyte: Gotcha. Okay. So walk us through the process. What does it feel like? What does a lung screening entail?
Tiffany Matonak: So lung screening entails a shared decision-making visit, usually with a provider that's either your primary care provider or with a lung screening program. They go over the risks and benefits of the lung screen, kind of let you know what it is and the expectations are. After that visit, you decide to go for the CT scan. It's fast, painless, non-invasive. It produces the picture of your lungs like we talked about. It takes about 30 seconds. You lay down on a table and are quickly moved through an open CT machine, so just a large circle. It's not to be confused with the smaller, slow-moving MRIs. And then once you're done with that scan, a radiologist reads the report and sends the final results to yourself and then also to your provider that ordered the study.
Caitlin Whyte: So unfortunately, sometimes things show up in the CT scan. If that happens, what goes on from there?
Tiffany Matonak: So usually what happens is your scan will be reviewed by a radiologist. And like you said, if something shows up, your ordering provider will be notified and you also should receive your results as well. Specifically for our Tate Center Lung Screen Program at UM BWMC, we add an extra layer of review and it will be reviewed by our medical experts and presented at a meeting that consists of radiologists, pulmonologists, radiation, and medical oncologist, who will give their recommendations on further testing. Our lung screening program navigator will then contact you or ordering provider to determine the next steps and to notify you.
Caitlin Whyte: So then, does this positive result automatically mean surgery? What exactly does this mean?
Tiffany Matonak: So not necessarily, it does not mean surgery. Like I mentioned before, it can kind of detect other lung diseases and abnormalities. So sometimes, it will just recommend having a repeat CT chest in a few months. I may recommend having a breathing test or have consultation with a pulmonologist who's a lung doctor. Sometimes, they'll recommend a more thorough CT scan called a PET CT scan. It could recommend a biopsy. And then ultimately, yeah, it could end up recommending surgery, but usually you take a couple steps before jumping into the surgery.
Caitlin Whyte: Okay. That's understandable. And then how often should someone be getting scanned?
Tiffany Matonak: So when the screening is done on a yearly basis, every year, you should get a lung screening CT of your chest if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Caitlin Whyte: In order to get scanned, do you need a referral? And how would someone go about getting one?
Tiffany Matonak: Typically, you do need a referral. You can ask your primary care doctor during your annual well visits, or you can ask any provider that you see for a referral to a lung screening program.
Caitlin Whyte: And of course I have to ask, what about insurance? Do you need insurance to get a lung screening?
Tiffany Matonak: So you don't necessarily need insurance for lung screening, but you would have to pay out-of-pocket, but most insurances do cover lung screening. It's covered by Medicare for high risk patients, 55 to 77 years old. And it's actually covered by most commercial insurances, even up to 80 years old through the private insurances.
Caitlin Whyte: Well, wrapping up here, Tiffany, we covered a lot of information in the show, but is there anything else you'd like people to know about lung screenings?
Tiffany Matonak: Just that, you know, approximately 8 million Americans are at high risk for lung cancer and could benefit from a lung cancer screening, and yet only 5.7% actually get screened. So do yourself a favor and talk to your provider today about a lung cancer screening and if it fits right for you.
Caitlin Whyte: Well, thank you for your time today, Tiffany, and all the work you do getting people screened. We really appreciate it.
This episode is sponsored by the University of Maryland Cancer Network led by the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of the nation's NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers. The UM Cancer Network provides access to national experts, the latest treatments, leading edge technology and promising clinical trials all close to home. The UM Cancer Network, helping you beat cancer once and for all.
Find more shows just like this one at umms.org/podcast. Thank you for listening to Live Greater, a health and wellness podcast brought to you by the University of Maryland Medical System. We look forward to you joining us again.
How Do Lung Cancer Screenings Save Lives
Caitlin Whyte: Welcome to Live Greater, a health and wellness podcast brought to you by the University of Maryland Medical System. We put knowledge and care within reach, so you have everything you need to live your life to the fullest. This podcast is sponsored by the UM Cancer Network.
Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in the United States in both men and women. But getting regular lung cancer screenings can help save lives.
Today, we'll learn more about who needs to be screened, what a screening is like and what happens after you've been screened with Tiffany Matonak, an expert in thoracic surgery and lung cancer at UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center, part of the UM Cancer Network. So Tiffany, let's start our conversation off with a basic question. What is a lung screening?
Tiffany Matonak: So screening is basically a preventative health. So you can think of it at like a colonoscopy that screens for colon cancer or a mammogram that screens for breast cancer, but less invasive. So specifically, a lung screen is a low-dose CT scan of the chest that produces pictures or images of the lungs to detect many lung diseases or abnormalities of the lungs. Specifically, the lung screen CT is low dose and has up to 90% less radiation than a conventional CT scan of the chest would.
Caitlin Whyte: So why are lung screening so important?
Tiffany Matonak: Lung screens are important because people tend to not experience any symptoms from lung cancer in the early stages. Symptoms usually show up in later stages of the disease and a lung screening can help identify a problem before you even have symptoms. It's estimated that in the US 236,000 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022. And approximately 130,000 Americans lives are lost annually. So if you think about that, one in 16 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime. Lung cancer specifically is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. More people die of lung cancer than breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer combined. It kills more than three times as many men as prostate cancer does and three times as many women in the US as breast cancer.
Caitlin Whyte: Wow. Okay. So on that note, who should be getting a lung screening?
Tiffany Matonak: So the most important people are our high risk category of smokers. So smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and is responsible for 80% of lung cancer deaths. Specifically for lung cancer screening, the criteria to qualify is being 50 to 77 years old, asymptomatic, meaning that you do not have any signs or symptoms of lung cancer, such as shortness of breath, coughing up blood, trouble breathing with walking short distances, tobacco smoking history of at least 20 pack years. So a pack year is equal to smoking one pack per day for one year. So in one pack of cigarettes is 20 cigarettes. You have to be a current smoker or one who has quit smoking within the last 15 years. And lastly, you need to receive an order for a lung cancer screening from a provider.
Caitlin Whyte: Gotcha. Okay. So walk us through the process. What does it feel like? What does a lung screening entail?
Tiffany Matonak: So lung screening entails a shared decision-making visit, usually with a provider that's either your primary care provider or with a lung screening program. They go over the risks and benefits of the lung screen, kind of let you know what it is and the expectations are. After that visit, you decide to go for the CT scan. It's fast, painless, non-invasive. It produces the picture of your lungs like we talked about. It takes about 30 seconds. You lay down on a table and are quickly moved through an open CT machine, so just a large circle. It's not to be confused with the smaller, slow-moving MRIs. And then once you're done with that scan, a radiologist reads the report and sends the final results to yourself and then also to your provider that ordered the study.
Caitlin Whyte: So unfortunately, sometimes things show up in the CT scan. If that happens, what goes on from there?
Tiffany Matonak: So usually what happens is your scan will be reviewed by a radiologist. And like you said, if something shows up, your ordering provider will be notified and you also should receive your results as well. Specifically for our Tate Center Lung Screen Program at UM BWMC, we add an extra layer of review and it will be reviewed by our medical experts and presented at a meeting that consists of radiologists, pulmonologists, radiation, and medical oncologist, who will give their recommendations on further testing. Our lung screening program navigator will then contact you or ordering provider to determine the next steps and to notify you.
Caitlin Whyte: So then, does this positive result automatically mean surgery? What exactly does this mean?
Tiffany Matonak: So not necessarily, it does not mean surgery. Like I mentioned before, it can kind of detect other lung diseases and abnormalities. So sometimes, it will just recommend having a repeat CT chest in a few months. I may recommend having a breathing test or have consultation with a pulmonologist who's a lung doctor. Sometimes, they'll recommend a more thorough CT scan called a PET CT scan. It could recommend a biopsy. And then ultimately, yeah, it could end up recommending surgery, but usually you take a couple steps before jumping into the surgery.
Caitlin Whyte: Okay. That's understandable. And then how often should someone be getting scanned?
Tiffany Matonak: So when the screening is done on a yearly basis, every year, you should get a lung screening CT of your chest if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Caitlin Whyte: In order to get scanned, do you need a referral? And how would someone go about getting one?
Tiffany Matonak: Typically, you do need a referral. You can ask your primary care doctor during your annual well visits, or you can ask any provider that you see for a referral to a lung screening program.
Caitlin Whyte: And of course I have to ask, what about insurance? Do you need insurance to get a lung screening?
Tiffany Matonak: So you don't necessarily need insurance for lung screening, but you would have to pay out-of-pocket, but most insurances do cover lung screening. It's covered by Medicare for high risk patients, 55 to 77 years old. And it's actually covered by most commercial insurances, even up to 80 years old through the private insurances.
Caitlin Whyte: Well, wrapping up here, Tiffany, we covered a lot of information in the show, but is there anything else you'd like people to know about lung screenings?
Tiffany Matonak: Just that, you know, approximately 8 million Americans are at high risk for lung cancer and could benefit from a lung cancer screening, and yet only 5.7% actually get screened. So do yourself a favor and talk to your provider today about a lung cancer screening and if it fits right for you.
Caitlin Whyte: Well, thank you for your time today, Tiffany, and all the work you do getting people screened. We really appreciate it.
This episode is sponsored by the University of Maryland Cancer Network led by the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of the nation's NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers. The UM Cancer Network provides access to national experts, the latest treatments, leading edge technology and promising clinical trials all close to home. The UM Cancer Network, helping you beat cancer once and for all.
Find more shows just like this one at umms.org/podcast. Thank you for listening to Live Greater, a health and wellness podcast brought to you by the University of Maryland Medical System. We look forward to you joining us again.