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Lung Screening
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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men
and women and overall the number two cause of death, following
Heart Disease. In 2004 there will be
about 173,770 new cases of lung cancer in the United States and
about 160,440 people will die of this disease (The
American Cancer Society).
Synopsis
Previous scanning methods did not detect
lung cancer in the early stages. In fact, four out of five lung
cancers when found, were incurable. Formerly, about a 12% cure
rate was possible once lung cancer was detected. Now, by way of
new diagnostic imaging techniques, lung cancer detected in very
early stages of development (before symptoms ever begin to arise)
results in an 85-100% survival rate between both men and women.
In just one easy breath, very thin sections of your lungs can
now be imaged. Affiliated Medical's new scanning methods can detect
cancer, even as small as the tip of a safety pin, much earlier
than ever before and the majority of cancers found with CT
technology can be cured if diagnosed in the early stages.
PATIENTS
RECOMMENDED FOR A LUNG CANCER SCREENING TEST
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You
are 50 years of age or older
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You
currently smoke or are a former smoker
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You
have a history of a prior cancer within the last 5 years
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If
you have severe emphysema or COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease)
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If
you have been exposed to asbestos in your line of work
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Solutions
Lung nodule that was found by a lung cancer CT screening.
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CT screening is simply the best
method to detect cancer in its earliest stage. Since the
majority of lung cancers originate as a small growth, or
nodule in the lung, screening CT scans are extremely sensitive
in detecting nodules as small as 1 or 2 mm within the lungs
very early on in prognosis. Lung Screening CT scans are
capable of detecting lung nodules much smaller than by conventional
chest X-ray methods. Typically, lung cancer tumors are the
size of an orange before they are discovered through an
X-ray. In fact, in the recently published articles on CT
screening the majority of lung cancers that were found on
CT scanning could not be detected on the chest X-ray that
was performed simultaneously.
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If a nodule is found on a screening
CT scan, then a decision is made to either biopsy the nodule
if it appears suspicious for cancer, or to repeat a CT scan
within 6 to 12 weeks to determine if the nodule has grown.
Should the nodule grow, this is highly suspicious for malignancy,
and a recommendation to biopsy the nodule is warranted.
If on the other hand the nodule remains stable in size,
and does not change, then continued observation is usually
advised.
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Affiliated Medical of Dearborn understands the critical value
of early detection in Lung Cancer. Diagnostic CT lung scanning
shows enormous promise in providing early detection for lung disorders
such as emphysema, cancer, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, and
much more.
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