Why Lung Cancer Screening Is Important Yet So Overlooked

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the United States. An estimated 238,340 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2023, and 64% of lung cancers are diagnosed at stage III or IV. With all of these facts, it’s surprising that lung cancer screening, a tool that could save lives, is rarely used. Why is that? Who does that impact the most? And what changes can be made? We spoke with Jeff Yang, MD, a thoracic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and founder of the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative, about symptoms, recommended lung cancer screenings, and available treatment options. We then spoke with Narjust Florez, MD, associate director of the Cancer Care Equity Program and a thoracic medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, about the stigma and lung cancer patients experience and how patients can better advocate for themselves.

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