Let's turn to health news right now, and Maria
Hayes is here with an encouraging story for
people battling lung cancer tonight, Hi Maria.
Nick, surviving lung cancer is something to
celebrate. It continues to be the deadliest
form of the disease for both men and women.
But tomorrow afternoon Hamilton's St. Joseph's
Healthcare will be recognizing the survivors
about 200 people who managed to beat it.
I had a second x-ray done and that's when they
seen it, that I was right, that it was cancer
and it was two of them, one on the top and one on the bottom.
"83-year-old Helen Schlotter
knew something wasn't right last summer, and
insisted on the scans that revealed her lung cancer."
I knew it had something to do with smoking, I knew it. I knew I felt it when I started wheezing.
""Two things happened after the diagnosis. Helen was sent to St. Joseph's LDAP, or Lung Diagnostic Assessment Program and she quit smoking."
I quit immediately, without any medication or any help, just like they say cold turkey.
"Now in it's 3rd year LDAP is a one stop shop for lung cancer patients across Hamilton and Niagara.
A nurse navigator oversees each patient's treatment process and appointments, and there are plenty."
This is a long, complex process that takes more
than several weeks, in which we scan the patients
from top to bottom, we check their hearts,
we check their lungs, we make sure that there
is nothing else except for the lung cancer itself.
"Although tobacco use is the number
one cause, 15% of lung cancer patients have
never smoked. It's a disease that develops
with no symptoms until it becomes more advanced,
and more difficult to treat. However, results
from a recent US study advocates screening
high- risk or heavy smokers with a CT scan
even before symptoms start. Canadian physicians
hope to adapt the screening soon.
" We should be able to diagnose many more cases in an earlier stage, when we can cure the patients.
"Meanwhile, Helen has recovered well from surgery. The most recent test results have cleared her of the disease."
So, I'm finally free, thank God for that.
Medical experts agree the best defense against lung cancer is to stop smoking.
Even if you've been hooked on the habit for decades health care providers say it's never too late, Nick.
"That's good to hear, alright thanks a lot Maria."
