Please visit our 
NewsOne component of the Arizona Cancer Center’s program on prevention, detection and treatment of cancer is education, and on Tuesday Dr. Shari Meyerson opened the season’s free, seven-lecture series at the West Center. Her topic was “New Frontiers in the Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Lung Cancer.” Meyerson is assistant professor of surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Her clinical focus at the Arizona Cancer Center is minimally invasive treatment of lung and esophageal cancer and unusual tumors of the chest. Starting with statistics, Meyerson said the leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women in the U.S. is from lung cancer. Meyerson asked if anyone knew the ribbon color for lung cancer. No one did. “Everyone knows the breast cancer ribbon is pink. For lung cancer, it’s white. It’s invisible because you can’t see it. “Symptoms don’t show until it’s too late... many with symptoms call it smoker’s cough,” she said. Mammograms are available to detect breast cancer, PSA tests to test prostate cancer and colonoscopies to detect colon cancer, but there are no known tests for lung cancers as no blood markers are available. “With chest CT scans we’re not sure what we’re looking at. We’ve got a lot of research to do. “Newer types of surgery allow more patients to have a tumor removed, but not all tumors can be removed... the gold standard is to remove the entire lobe where the tumor is and nearby nodes,” Meyerson said. A less invasive surgery called a “thoracoscopy” results in less pain, better functioning and return to activity than the more invasive “thoractomy.” Research shows with a thoracoscopy no patients were on narcotic drugs one year after surgery vs. 26 percent using narcotic drugs two and a half years after having a thoractomy. Why don’t all surgeons do a thoracoscopy? Meyerson said the technique takes extensive training and most surgeons don’t have enough experience. “The Arizona Cancer Center has extensive experience in all types of minimally invasive surgery. We’re committed to making thoracoscopy available to all patients. “If the cancer has spread, the treatment is chemotherapy. But chemotherapy is like Baskin Robbins with 31 flavors. Not all treatments are the same. It has to be the right chemo for the right tumor,” Meyerson explained. Tobacco as cause About 80 percent of those diagnosed at Stage 1A will survive five years but the risk is increased if the patient starts smoking again. As early as the 1600s, tobacco was a known carcinogen. In the early 1900s statistics showed an increase in lung cancer. By 1930, there was a definite trend in disease incidence. By 1950, excessive smoking was seen as the causative factor in lung cancer. “Smoking doesn’t just cause lung cancer. It’s a lot more involved,” Meyerson said. It causes bronchitis, emphysema, cancer of the esophagus, larynx, bladder, kidney, and high blood pressure and heart disease. She said that even after years of not smoking, the incidence of lung cancer is still higher than in non-smokers. Since 1964, 12 million people in the U.S. died prematurely due to smoking. “Smokers die younger,” she said. Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net. UPCOMING LECTURES All lectures are at the West Center and begin at 10 a.m. Information: Ilya Sloan, 520-626-6401 or e-mail isloan@azcc.arizona.edu
Article RatingReader CommentsSubmit a Comment |
Today's Weather
Green Valley, AZ
sponsored by:  Top Menus |
Comment
Rate
|
|
 |
|
Copyright © 2010 Green Valley News and Sun - All right Reserved
About Us / Subscriptions / Contact Us / Advertise with us / User Agreement / HUD rules / Make us your home page
About Us / Subscriptions / Contact Us / Advertise with us / User Agreement / HUD rules / Make us your home page
