Lung cancer is second most common type of cancer in the United States and Lung cancer can be difficult to find in its early stages because it often has no symptoms until it has spread to other places in the body.
According to the National Cancer Institute, a 2011 report from the NLST suggests that compared with standard chest x-rays, low-dose CT scans for lung cancer screening could reduce lung cancer deaths by 20 percent because they help doctors identify lung cancer in its early stages.
Listen in as Sarada Gurubhagavatula, MD, explains that CT lung cancer screening only takes about 10 minutes and can detect lung cancer early and result in better treatment outcomes.
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Lung Cancer Screening Can Save Your Life
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Learn more about Sarada Gurubhagavatula, MD
Sarada Gurubhagavatula, MD, MPH
Sarada Gurubhagavatula, MD, MPH, specializes in hematology/oncology at Summit Medical Group. Dr. Gurubhagavatula (known fondly by her patients as "Dr. G") has a special interest in lung cancer, head and neck cancer, and breast cancer, and is experienced in treating all types of hematology and oncology patients.Learn more about Sarada Gurubhagavatula, MD
Transcription:
Lung Cancer Screening Can Save Your Life
Melanie Cole (Host): Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in the United States and it can difficult to find it in its early stages because it often has no symptoms until it has spread to other parts of the body. My guest today is Dr. Sarada Gurubhagavatula. She specializes in hematology/ oncology at Summit Medical Group. Welcome to the show, Dr. Gurubhagavatula. Tell us about the state of lung cancer as it is now. Is it on the rise?
Dr. Sarada Gurubhagavatula (Guest): Lung cancer is a devastating disease. It is on the rise. It is a condition that affects mostly smokers and ex-smokers, but, unfortunately, there are many never-smokers who are also getting lung cancer. It is the second most common cancer and the deadliest cancer of all cancers in the country.
Melanie: Besides smoking, are there any other risk factors for lung cancer? Is there a genetic component to it?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: Overwhelmingly, smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer and that has been very well established. In addition, there are some other risk factors that are less common but should be noted, such as radon exposure. In homes radon can be tested for, and radon can potentially lead to lung cancer. Asbestos can lead to lung cancer. There’s evidence that second-hand smoke exposure also is a risk factor for lung cancer. The main thing that we tell people is that if they smoke, then to quit smoking, reduce your exposure to secondhand smoke, if it’s possible. Get your home tested for radon. In terms of genetic factors, there are, and we’re just starting to explore those risk factors. There’s nothing really that’s known or that can be tested for in terms of risk factor for lung cancer at this point.
Melanie: Is there a screening tool for lung cancer?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: There is, which is fairly recent information that low-dose CAT Scan can be used in some patients to screen for lung cancer. There was a large study that looked at low-dose CT screening testing for patients who were between the ages of 55 and 74, who had had at least a 30-pack year smoking history. What that means is that if they smoked a pack a day for 30 years, then that would be a 30 pack year history. People who had that much tobacco exposure were eligible for this study. So, what primary care doctors are often doing now is having a discussion with their patients about whether or not it makes sense to do CAT scan screening for patients who are at a higher risk because of their smoking history.
Melanie: Is this something that insurance recognizes?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: Yes, in patients, again, with that kind of history. The cost of the CAT Scan is about $300 to pay out of pocket, but it is something that is becoming more and more common with patients who are continuing to smoke or are recent ex-smokers.
Melanie: If somebody is diagnosed with lung cancer and, hopefully, early, are there treatments available? People think of lung cancer and right away they think the worst thoughts. Speak about that a little bit, Dr. Gurubhagavatula.
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: You’re absolutely right. Unfortunately, lung cancer has a stigma about it on many fronts, one being that it is associated with smoking, so it’s considered a smoker’s disease and, therefore, may not get as much attention as some of the other cancers. In terms of treatment, there are absolutely very aggressive treatments that are available. If the cancer is detected at an early stage, then surgery is definitely the way to go, if the patient is a candidate for surgery, meaning if the patient is strong enough, has good enough lung function to have surgery. And, even if it is detected at a more advanced stage, there are really very effective treatments that are now available. There’s chemotherapy. There is radiation. Often we discuss with our colleagues in radiation oncology and in thoracic surgery what is the best treatment for this particular patient. And often, it’s a combination of treatments. We’re moving into also the era of personalized medicine. So, we’re checking for genetic mutations in that tumor that can, in fact, guide our treatment decisions so that we can make the treatments more targeted. Some of these drugs are oral, they’re pills, not intravenous chemotherapy, and they’re often much better tolerated than chemotherapy. So, the treatments are really vast and I would say that we’re all much more optimistic now than we used to be when it comes to treating patients with lung cancer.
Melanie: If you’re going through treatment for lung cancer, this can be a really devastating diagnosis. What do you tell patients every day, Dr. G, about coping with some of those emotional side effects of dealing with lung cancer treatment?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: It’s very hard and you touch upon a very important topic, because coping with a diagnosis such as lung cancer, even any cancer, can be really difficult for many, many patients. I would first off suggest go to a doctor that you trust and take their advice and use your support system. Use the resources around you, whether it be friends or family, to get the support that you need, whether it means getting a ride to an appointment or just having somebody to talk to. We have many support services available in terms of social workers and people who can really help with psychosocial counseling. Sometimes, people even need to take medication for depression or anxiety, and we fully support that. We really want to encourage patients to do what they need to do to get through the treatment.
Melanie: What about some of the things that people specifically with lung cancer go through, that stigma that you say that people say, “Well, you got this because you’re a smoker”, or those types of things in the family involved, what do you say to them?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: We don’t talk about the fact that patients may have gotten this from smoking. I think that most patients already know that. We try to encourage them to quit. We try to offer them support to quit if they are interested. And like I mentioned before, it’s not even a disease that’s restricted to smokers anymore. Probably about 15% or 20% of lung cancers now are happening in people who have never smoked. So, we try to de-emphasize the stigma around it, because I don’t really find that to be productive. We try to just focus on what’s in front of us and getting that patient the best possible treatment that they can have and moving forward.
Melanie: Dr. G, What’s exciting in advancements in treatment for lung cancer? Are you using my immunotherapy or targeted therapy? What are you doing? Give us some of the hopeful things?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: We absolutely are. Really the future of lung cancer, and probably all cancers, is to move in the direction of personalized medicine where we try to really decode the cancer, try to figure out what it is that’s driving that cancer for that particular patient. Not all lung cancers are the same and we can’t treat them that way. We have to try to figure out what it is that’s driving the cancer. And then, we are developing drugs that can target those specific genetic mutations that are driving that particular cancer. So, that’s what targeted therapy means. It means targeting the specific gene that is driving the cancer with often what is an oral drug, a pill that can be taken and can be tolerated much better than chemotherapy. Immunotherapy is a whole other field that is just fascinating and it has really opened up a lot of opportunities in the treatment of lung cancer. We are using immunotherapy to treat our lung cancer patients and finding that it is extremely effective also in certain patients. And, I think the idea of enhancing the body’s immune system to fight the cancer is very appealing, not only to us as physicians, but to patients as well. So, we’re hoping to incorporate these kinds of treatments into our daily practice.
Melanie: Give us your best advice and wrap it up for us in just the last few minutes if you would, Dr. G, explaining a little bit about lung cancer prevention, screening, and why listeners should come to Summit Medical Group for their care.
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: In terms of prevention, I think that the important thing is if you are smoking to quit smoking and find the resources around you. There are many in terms of quitting smoking. Talk to your primary care physician, whether it be a support group or medication--whatever it takes to quit smoking. I think that’s the most important thing. Avoid second-hand smoke. In terms of screening, if you are a smoker or a recent ex-smoker and between the ages of 55 and 74 with a significant smoking history, I would talk to your primary care doctor about the possibility of a low-dose CT screening test to look for early lung cancers. In terms of the treatment and the opportunities at Summit Medical Group, we have a very wide range of treatments available. We are up-to-date on the latest treatment. We have a very active clinical trials program in conjunction with MD Anderson Cancer Center where we can collaborate with the physicians there and are hoping to offer more and more clinical trials with the latest treatments available to our patients.
Melanie: Thank you so much for being with us today. You’re listening to SMG Radio. For more information you can go to www.SummitMedicalGroup.com. That’s www.SummitMedicalGroup.com. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks for listening.
Lung Cancer Screening Can Save Your Life
Melanie Cole (Host): Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in the United States and it can difficult to find it in its early stages because it often has no symptoms until it has spread to other parts of the body. My guest today is Dr. Sarada Gurubhagavatula. She specializes in hematology/ oncology at Summit Medical Group. Welcome to the show, Dr. Gurubhagavatula. Tell us about the state of lung cancer as it is now. Is it on the rise?
Dr. Sarada Gurubhagavatula (Guest): Lung cancer is a devastating disease. It is on the rise. It is a condition that affects mostly smokers and ex-smokers, but, unfortunately, there are many never-smokers who are also getting lung cancer. It is the second most common cancer and the deadliest cancer of all cancers in the country.
Melanie: Besides smoking, are there any other risk factors for lung cancer? Is there a genetic component to it?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: Overwhelmingly, smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer and that has been very well established. In addition, there are some other risk factors that are less common but should be noted, such as radon exposure. In homes radon can be tested for, and radon can potentially lead to lung cancer. Asbestos can lead to lung cancer. There’s evidence that second-hand smoke exposure also is a risk factor for lung cancer. The main thing that we tell people is that if they smoke, then to quit smoking, reduce your exposure to secondhand smoke, if it’s possible. Get your home tested for radon. In terms of genetic factors, there are, and we’re just starting to explore those risk factors. There’s nothing really that’s known or that can be tested for in terms of risk factor for lung cancer at this point.
Melanie: Is there a screening tool for lung cancer?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: There is, which is fairly recent information that low-dose CAT Scan can be used in some patients to screen for lung cancer. There was a large study that looked at low-dose CT screening testing for patients who were between the ages of 55 and 74, who had had at least a 30-pack year smoking history. What that means is that if they smoked a pack a day for 30 years, then that would be a 30 pack year history. People who had that much tobacco exposure were eligible for this study. So, what primary care doctors are often doing now is having a discussion with their patients about whether or not it makes sense to do CAT scan screening for patients who are at a higher risk because of their smoking history.
Melanie: Is this something that insurance recognizes?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: Yes, in patients, again, with that kind of history. The cost of the CAT Scan is about $300 to pay out of pocket, but it is something that is becoming more and more common with patients who are continuing to smoke or are recent ex-smokers.
Melanie: If somebody is diagnosed with lung cancer and, hopefully, early, are there treatments available? People think of lung cancer and right away they think the worst thoughts. Speak about that a little bit, Dr. Gurubhagavatula.
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: You’re absolutely right. Unfortunately, lung cancer has a stigma about it on many fronts, one being that it is associated with smoking, so it’s considered a smoker’s disease and, therefore, may not get as much attention as some of the other cancers. In terms of treatment, there are absolutely very aggressive treatments that are available. If the cancer is detected at an early stage, then surgery is definitely the way to go, if the patient is a candidate for surgery, meaning if the patient is strong enough, has good enough lung function to have surgery. And, even if it is detected at a more advanced stage, there are really very effective treatments that are now available. There’s chemotherapy. There is radiation. Often we discuss with our colleagues in radiation oncology and in thoracic surgery what is the best treatment for this particular patient. And often, it’s a combination of treatments. We’re moving into also the era of personalized medicine. So, we’re checking for genetic mutations in that tumor that can, in fact, guide our treatment decisions so that we can make the treatments more targeted. Some of these drugs are oral, they’re pills, not intravenous chemotherapy, and they’re often much better tolerated than chemotherapy. So, the treatments are really vast and I would say that we’re all much more optimistic now than we used to be when it comes to treating patients with lung cancer.
Melanie: If you’re going through treatment for lung cancer, this can be a really devastating diagnosis. What do you tell patients every day, Dr. G, about coping with some of those emotional side effects of dealing with lung cancer treatment?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: It’s very hard and you touch upon a very important topic, because coping with a diagnosis such as lung cancer, even any cancer, can be really difficult for many, many patients. I would first off suggest go to a doctor that you trust and take their advice and use your support system. Use the resources around you, whether it be friends or family, to get the support that you need, whether it means getting a ride to an appointment or just having somebody to talk to. We have many support services available in terms of social workers and people who can really help with psychosocial counseling. Sometimes, people even need to take medication for depression or anxiety, and we fully support that. We really want to encourage patients to do what they need to do to get through the treatment.
Melanie: What about some of the things that people specifically with lung cancer go through, that stigma that you say that people say, “Well, you got this because you’re a smoker”, or those types of things in the family involved, what do you say to them?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: We don’t talk about the fact that patients may have gotten this from smoking. I think that most patients already know that. We try to encourage them to quit. We try to offer them support to quit if they are interested. And like I mentioned before, it’s not even a disease that’s restricted to smokers anymore. Probably about 15% or 20% of lung cancers now are happening in people who have never smoked. So, we try to de-emphasize the stigma around it, because I don’t really find that to be productive. We try to just focus on what’s in front of us and getting that patient the best possible treatment that they can have and moving forward.
Melanie: Dr. G, What’s exciting in advancements in treatment for lung cancer? Are you using my immunotherapy or targeted therapy? What are you doing? Give us some of the hopeful things?
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: We absolutely are. Really the future of lung cancer, and probably all cancers, is to move in the direction of personalized medicine where we try to really decode the cancer, try to figure out what it is that’s driving that cancer for that particular patient. Not all lung cancers are the same and we can’t treat them that way. We have to try to figure out what it is that’s driving the cancer. And then, we are developing drugs that can target those specific genetic mutations that are driving that particular cancer. So, that’s what targeted therapy means. It means targeting the specific gene that is driving the cancer with often what is an oral drug, a pill that can be taken and can be tolerated much better than chemotherapy. Immunotherapy is a whole other field that is just fascinating and it has really opened up a lot of opportunities in the treatment of lung cancer. We are using immunotherapy to treat our lung cancer patients and finding that it is extremely effective also in certain patients. And, I think the idea of enhancing the body’s immune system to fight the cancer is very appealing, not only to us as physicians, but to patients as well. So, we’re hoping to incorporate these kinds of treatments into our daily practice.
Melanie: Give us your best advice and wrap it up for us in just the last few minutes if you would, Dr. G, explaining a little bit about lung cancer prevention, screening, and why listeners should come to Summit Medical Group for their care.
Dr. Gurubhagavatula: In terms of prevention, I think that the important thing is if you are smoking to quit smoking and find the resources around you. There are many in terms of quitting smoking. Talk to your primary care physician, whether it be a support group or medication--whatever it takes to quit smoking. I think that’s the most important thing. Avoid second-hand smoke. In terms of screening, if you are a smoker or a recent ex-smoker and between the ages of 55 and 74 with a significant smoking history, I would talk to your primary care doctor about the possibility of a low-dose CT screening test to look for early lung cancers. In terms of the treatment and the opportunities at Summit Medical Group, we have a very wide range of treatments available. We are up-to-date on the latest treatment. We have a very active clinical trials program in conjunction with MD Anderson Cancer Center where we can collaborate with the physicians there and are hoping to offer more and more clinical trials with the latest treatments available to our patients.
Melanie: Thank you so much for being with us today. You’re listening to SMG Radio. For more information you can go to www.SummitMedicalGroup.com. That’s www.SummitMedicalGroup.com. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks for listening.