[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/11\/lung-cancer-women\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/11\/lung-cancer-women\/","headline":"What Every Woman Should Know About Lung Cancer","name":"What Every Woman Should Know About Lung Cancer","description":"Rates of lung cancer in U.S. women are going up. Screening can help detect disease early. Here's what you need to know, particularly if you are a smoker.","datePublished":"2021-11-04","dateModified":"2024-09-13","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/hillman.upmc.com\/","name":"UPMC Hillman Cancer Center","url":"https:\/\/hillman.upmc.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc-hillman-cancer-center\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Spot-the-Early-Signs-of-Menopause.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Spot-the-Early-Signs-of-Menopause.jpg","height":326,"width":752},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/11\/lung-cancer-women\/","about":["Cancer Care","Health Topics A-Z","Lung Cancer"],"wordCount":608,"articleBody":"Lung cancer remains a top killer in our country today. According to the CDC, it is the third most common cancer in the United States.In 2021, nearly 83,700 women were diagnosed with lung cancer. The disease is responsible for more than 71,000 deaths per year in women. Many of those women were long-time nicotine users.But while lung cancer diagnoses are declining for men, the opposite is true for women. More than two-thirds of nonsmokers with lung cancer are women.\u201cLung cancer is the highest cause of cancer death in the United States,\u201d says\u00a0Liza Villaruz, MD,\u00a0a medical oncologist and hematologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center who specializes in treating patients with lung cancer. \u201cMore people die of lung cancer than the next three cancers combined, which would be colon, breast, and prostate.\u201dWhat is Lung Cancer?Lung cancer occurs when cells in the lungs change by growing uncontrollably and cluster together to form a tumor. Symptoms usually do not appear until the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and, unfortunately, it is difficult to detect early.Currently, there is no recommendation to screen nonsmokers or people who have no history of smoking. For at-risk populations, however, screenings are highly encouraged.\u201cLung cancer screening is an early detection test for high-risk individuals for lung cancer,\u201d says Dr. Villaruz. \u201cIt\u2019s similar to mammography for breast cancer or colonoscopy for colon cancer. It involves a low-dose CT scan, which is about one-eighth of the radiation of a standard diagnostic CT scan. It\u2019s designed to be done annually.\u201d\u00a0Screenings for Lung CancerPatient history and an evaluation of risk factors are used to decide if screening criteria are met. For example, to be eligible for the Lung Cancer Screening Program at UPMC, patients must:Be between 50 and 77 years of age*Have at least a 20 “pack-year” history of smoking (one pack per day for a year is equivalent to one “pack year”)Be a current smoker or have quit within the past 15 yearsNot be in treatment for cancerPatients who meet these requirements may receive a yearly low-dose CT scan with no dye and an annual office visit for the rest of their lifetimes.\u00a0\u201cUnfortunately, when people are diagnosed with lung cancer, it\u2019s usually at an advanced stage, which makes it much less likely to be cured,\u201d says Dr. Villaruz. \u201cLung cancer screening with low-dose CT scan detects the cancer at an earlier stage and, if in fact it\u2019s an early-stage cancer, there\u2019s an 80% chance of cure.\u201d\u00a0The test involves laying on a table in a radiology department, she says, and getting a CT scan in about five seconds.\u00a0Patients who meet these requirements may receive a yearly low-dose CT scan with no dye and an annual office visit for the rest of their lifetimes.What to Watch ForDoctors encourage all women to be their own advocate. For any woman who has smoked in the past, whether you have symptoms or not, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about it. They can gather information to evaluate your personal risk factors and recommend screening, if appropriate.Knowledge about lung cancer is the best defense in finding early-stage disease.Signs and Symptoms of Lung CancerTalk to your doctor if you have any of the following signs:A persistent cough that doesn’t go away or gets worse.Coughing up blood or rust-colored phlegm.Chest pain that’s often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing.Hoarseness.Weight loss.Loss of appetite.Shortness of breath.Fatigue.Editor's Note: This article was originally published on November 4, 2021, and was last reviewed on September 13, 2024."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2021","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"11","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/\/11\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"What Every Woman Should Know About Lung Cancer","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/11\/lung-cancer-women\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]