Great Plains Health
North Platte, Neb. – Great Plains Health has joined the annual statewide effort organized by the Nebraska Cancer Coalition (NC2) to heighten awareness of lifesaving lung cancer screening during November, Lung Cancer Awareness month.
“Many cases of lung cancer are not found until after the cancer has been growing for some time,” said Dr. Todd E. Hlavaty, medical director of radiation oncology at the Great Plains Health Callahan Cancer Center and board member of NC2. “That can make the cancer more difficult to treat. When doctors find cancer early, it is often a smoother journey for patients, which is why it is so important to talk to your primary care provider about the screenings you need.”
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in Nebraska for both men and women. In 2023, the American Cancer Society estimates 1,340 new cases and 630 deaths from lung cancer in Nebraska. The stage of diagnosis strongly affects outcomes. The most recent Nebraska data indicates that the five-year relative survival rates for lung cancer are 61 percent for early-stage diagnoses, while rates for later-stage cases fall to 34 percent for regional diagnoses and seven percent for distant diagnoses.
“It’s important for Nebraskans with a history of smoking to talk to their health care provider about screening as soon as possible, especially those who have postponed appointments because of the pandemic,” added NC2 President Dr. Alan Thorson.
Screening for lung cancer with a yearly low-dose CT scan for those at high risk can reduce the lung cancer death rate by up to 20 percent by detecting tumors at early stages when they are more likely to be curable according to the American Lung Association (ALA). Lung cancer screening is recommended by the CDC for people ages 50 to 80 years with a 20 or more pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. In 2022, the ALA reported only six percent of Nebraskans at high risk for lung cancer were screened.