Lung Cancer

Yuefeng Wang, MD, PhD

Ramakrishna Battini, MD

Holger Gieschen, MD

David C. Portnoy, MD, FACP

Jason Porter, MD

West Cancer Center & Research Institute is positioned as the region’s comprehensive leader in adult cancer care and research. Our team at West offers unparalleled Lung Cancer treatment for patients across the Mid South–from screening to survivorship-to provide your patients with the most individualized care possible.

West Cancer Center & Research Institute treats both small cell & non-small cell lung cancer.

Symptoms:

Hoarseness or wheezing

Chest pain or painful breathing

Persistent coughing, particularly without any known cause

A cough the produces blood or red-colored phlegm (hemoptysis)

Fatigue or feeling unusually tired or weak

Difficulty breathing or a shortness of breath

Frequent upper-respiratory infections, like bronchitis or pneumonia

Bone pain

Headache

Unexplained weight loss

Diagnosis:

Bone Scan: Although PET scans are more commonly used to detect if lung cancer has spread to the bones, radioactive tracers can be injected into the vein to detect injured areas affected by cancer

Bronchoscopy: A small scope (bronchoscope) with a light and camera is inserted down the throat to exam the lungs to look for abnormalities.

Computerized Tomography (CT) A donut-shaped piece of equipment uses low dose radiation, either with or without a contrast fluid to detect abnormalities in the lungs.

Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) A small endoscope is connected to an ultrasound and a needle biopsy of the lymph nodes can be taken with an oral approach through the trachea

Fine Needle Biopsy With ultrasound guidance, tissue samples are taken from the suspicious mass or skin thickening through a thin, hollow needle and sent to pathology

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Provides detailed images of the lungs using magnetic fields to identify any abnormalities that may be cancer.

Navigational Bronchoscopy: Electromagnetic navigation is combined with a bronchoscope to find tumors and take biopsies.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) A radioactive substance is injected into the bloodstream to collect in cancerous cells and identify the exact location of the cancer.

Surgery A surgical or open biopsy involves removing part or all of suspicious mass if the results of a needle biopsy aren’t clear.

American Cancer Society’s Lung Cancer Screening Program

he American Cancer Society recommends annual lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT scan (LDCT) for certain people at higher risk for lung cancer who meet the following conditions:

Are aged 55 to 74 years and in fairly good health, and

Currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years, and

Have at least a 30-pack-year smoking history, and

Receive smoking cessation counseling if they are current smokers, and

Have been involved in informed/shared decision making about the benefits, limitations, and harms of screening with LDCT scans, and

Have access to a high-volume, high quality lung cancer screening and treatment center.

For physicians seeking to refer a patient for a low-dose CT screening, please ensure that your patient has a written order for this screening with LDCT. Written orders for Lung Cancer LDCT Screenings must be appropriately documented in the patient’s medical record and must contain the following information:

Date of birth

Actual pack-year smoking history

Current smoking status. For former smokers, the number of years since quitting

A statement that the beneficiary is asymptomatic

The National Provider Identifier (NPI) of the ordering physician.

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