Nearly 50 years after the first Surgeon General warnings linking smoking to cancer appeared on cigarettes packages, millions of Americans have managed to break the addictive habit. And while a decrease in the numbers of smokers provides great reason to celebrate, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death. The damage that smoking does to the lungs still means a far higher risk of developing cancer.
Unfortunately, lung cancer is most often not diagnosed until its later stages, which decreases the chance of successful treatment. However, new screening guidelines for earlier lung cancer detection were approved this spring by the American College of Chest Physicians and the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
On Thursday, the same day that the American Cancer Society sponsors its annual Great American Smokeout, Stanford lung cancer experts will be on hand at a free public panel to address the new screening guidelines and the latest approaches to lung cancer treatment. The panel will include:
- Daya Upadhyay, MD, a pulmonary specialist focused on lung nodules, early lung cancer diagnosis and the impact of smoking and environment on lung health
- Joseph Shrager, MD, chief of Stanford’s Division of Thoracic Surgery and expert in video-assisted thoracic surgery for early stage lung cancer
- Heather Wakelee, MD, a medical oncologist with expertise in molecularly-targeted treatment of lung cancer who heads the thoracic oncology clinical research group
- Billy W. Loo Jr, MD, PhD, program leader of thoracic radiation oncology and an expert inimage-guided stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for early stage lung cancer
If you are in the Bay Area, and you or someone you know is a current or former heavy smoker, consider attending the panel. The event will be held from 7 - 8:30 PM at the Francis C. Arrillaga Alumni Center on the Stanford campus. Seating is limited; to register call (650) 498-7826.
Previously: Lung cancer can affect anyone, Lung cancer rates declining in the U.S., Study shows secondhand smoke a serious health threat to casino workers, patrons and Study suggests smoking may cause the body to turn against its own helpful bacteria
Photo by Fernando Mafra
