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It is very much the case that society’s health war against cancer has made significant, sometimes astonishing progress in this century, but there remain certain forms of this dreaded disease that simply are harder for modern science to conquer, and one of them is lung cancer.
Despite significant investment in research and care, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and accounts for nearly 25% of all cancer fatalities. Despite advancements in early detection and treatment, the disease takes a severe toll on Americans, with smoking remaining a major contributor.
Nonetheless, progress is taking place. Early detection, such as low-dose CT scans and targeted therapies, have significantly improved lung cancer outcomes in the United States in 2024, leading to earlier diagnoses and more effective treatments. As a result, survival rates have steadily increased, offering hope to patients and families alike.
In the Spy’s continuing series on Mid-Shore health, we asked local experts, Dr. Rashmi Benda, the medical director of UM Shore Regional Health’s Requard Radiation Oncology Center, and Dr. David Oliver, its director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program at UM Shore Regional Health, to talk about the state of lung cancer on the Eastern Shore and how early detection remains the key factor is survivability.
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Dr. Oliver is my pulmonologist and the doctor I credit for saving my life. He closely monitored two nodules in my right lung that had been discovered when I had an X-ray for something unrelated. He noticed one of the nodules had changed, and it was discovered to be cancerous when it was removed. Lymph nodes tested negative, so no further treatments were necessary. Thank you again, Dr. Oliver!