Every year, more people die from lung cancer than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. While some cases stem from radon exposure or other hazards, most result from smoking.
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Michael Hanley, MD, director of UVA’s lung cancer screening program, says his team is seeing an increase in cases, “partly because of our growth, but also because of the region that we’re in.” He says rates are coming down for men but increasing in women, due to cigarette advertising in the late 70s and early 80s that targeted women.
One reason why so many people die from lung cancer is because it’s often diagnosed in later stages, too late for doctors to successfully treat. But clinical trials have shown that CT scans with a small amount of radiation (low-dose) can help detect lung cancer earlier.
In this week’s podcast, Hanley explains low-dose CT scans and lung cancer prevention in depth, including:
- Why these scans are more effective than other tests
- Who should get screened and how often
- Lung cancer symptoms
- Other UVA Cancer Center services, such as help quitting smoking
Listen to the podcast: