People who have cases of lung cancer in their family should ask their doctor for regular screenings, as the survival rate for lung cancer that is detected early is nearly 100 percent, a researcher at National Taiwan University said.
The remarks came after Taipei City Councilor Chung Pei-chun (鍾沛君) on Monday underwent surgery to remove tissue from her lungs believed to be cancerous. She was discharged on Friday.
Before her surgery, Chung wrote on Facebook that her mother and one of her aunts had died from lung cancer.
Photo: Cheng Ming-hsiang, Taipei Times
University Cancer Center Chen Chin-hsing (陳晉興) said that people with similar family histories should ask their doctor for screenings for lung nodules — which in most cases are benign, but can be malignant — or signs of other kinds of cancer spreading to the lungs.
“This could be determined through a biopsy,” Chen said.
Especially non-solid nodules, of which 80 percent are malignant, are an indicator of lung cancer, as they often precede cancerous growth, he said.
Nodules less than 5mm in diameter usually do not require surgery, but should be monitored regularly, he said.
Surgery is usually required if nodules grow to more than 8mm, he added.
“When lung nodules are detected early, usually within five years of their appearance, the survival rate is close to 100 percent,” Chen said. “The survival rate for those with nodules of less than 30mm, which have not spread through the lymphatic system, is about 90 percent.”
“If nodules in the lungs grow to 40mm, the rate falls to 60 to 70 percent,” Chen added.
However, if lung cancer spreads to the lymph nodes on both sides of the chest, both lungs and the other organs, the survival rate drops to 15 percent to 20 percent, he added.
The National Health Insurance since June last year subsidizes lung screenings for high-risk groups, including long-term smokers and people with cases of lung cancer in their family.
Health Promotion Administration officials have said that the subsidized low-dose computed tomography is the best tool to detect early-stage lung cancer, allowing physicians to start treatment at a stage with a high likelihood of recovery.
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