According to the National Cancer Institute, lung cancer is the second most common form of non-skin cancer in America and many Americans die from it every year. However, Black people are 15 percent less likely to get an early diagnosis than other ethnicities and 11 percent more likely to receive no treatment at all after being diagnosed. As a result, statistics show that Black Americans are 16 percent less likely than non-Black people to survive five years after being diagnosed with lung cancer. These numbers strongly suggest that you need to take your health into your own hands.
Generally, doctors recommend that anyone who is at a high risk of developing lung cancer get screened regularly. This list includes people who have a history of smoking at least one pack of cigarettes per day, those who quit smoking within the past 15 years, and anyone between the ages of 50 and 80 years old.
However, that doesn’t mean you should ignore lung cancer screening if you don’t meet those criteria. You should also consider being screened if there is a history of lung cancer in your family, you’ve been treated for the condition in the past, you work with asbestos or other cancerous materials, or you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
RELATED: Why is Lung Cancer Early Detection Important?
If you have a cold or any respiratory illness, you shouldn’t do a lung cancer screening as the results will be inaccurate. Once you’re clear, you’ll be asked to remove any metallic jewelry before lying on a thin table.
While the technician is in another room, the table will move through a doughnut-shaped machine to determine the start of the scan.
An X-ray tube in the machine will emit small beams at specific angles which will be picked up on the other side of the scanner. The results of these beams are used to create images of your lungs.
During the scan, you’ll be asked to lie still and hold your breath briefly. This part usually takes less than a minute but the whole procedure can last for half an hour. The results of the scan will be sent to your doctor.
If the scan reveals spots on your lungs, this is considered to be a positive result. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have lung cancer.
Small spots can indicate that you have a respiratory condition, scarring from an infection, or noncancerous growths. In this case, your doctor may opt to wait a few months and send you to do another screening to see if anything has changed.
When the spots are large, it’s more likely to be a concern. Large nodules can be cancerous and your doctor may refer you to a pulmonologist for further testing.
One common test is a biopsy where a piece of the nodule will be collected for assessment in a laboratory. If the biopsy reveals cancerous cells, then you’ll start being treated for lung cancer.
RELATED: 10 Common Factors Increasing Your Risk for Lung Cancer
One of the unfortunate things about lung cancer is that it might not show any symptoms in its early stages. That’s why doctors often recommend undergoing lung cancer screening even if you’re feeling perfectly healthy.
However, there are a few signs you can look out for when it comes to lung cancer. These include a persistent cough, producing blood when coughing, a pain in the chest that worsens when you take a deep breath, feeling weak, loss of appetite, unexplained hoarseness or wheezing, sudden shortness of breath when physically active, and chronic respiratory infections.
In rare circumstances, you may have swelling in your face or neck, difficulty swallowing, or changes in your fingers’ appearance.
The statistics show that Black people are more likely to have adverse outcomes when it comes to lung cancer. That means it’s more important than ever to talk to your doctor about getting screened. Early detection can increase your chances of being treated effectively and surviving the disease.
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