At Champion Home Health Care, we offer senior home health care services designed to keep your senior aging happily and healthily at home. The peace of mind this quality and trustworthy care provides both the caregiver and your loved one is invaluable. Throughout the month, we having been using our blog as a platform to discuss and address awareness of certain diseases / topics focused on in the month of November. At Champion Home Health Care, we want to do whatever we can to help your senior loved one stay healthy and we consider knowledge power! So, let’s take a look at lung cancer, an awareness topic for this month.

According to the CDC, “Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and the second most common cancer among both men and woman in the United States.” Sadly, most lung cancers do not present symptoms until they are in the late stages of the disease or have spread to other parts of the body, at which point lung cancer is not easily cured. This makes early detection paramount.  The CDC reports: “Each year about 200,000 people in the United States are told they have lung cancer and more than 150,000 people die from this disease.”

Since prevention is key and early detection crucial, it is important to know the risk factors that increase the chances of lung cancer:

  • Family history
  • Exposure to cancer causing agents such as: chromium, nickel, diesel, arsenic
  • Exposure to asbestos
  • Exposure to radon gas
  • Exposure to second hand smoke
  • Smoking: the longer you smoke and the more you smoke per day, the greater your risk

It is recommended that individuals with an increased risk due to the factors outlined above, consider annual CT scans to look for lung cancer. Lung cancer screening may be beneficial to individuals 55 and older who currently smoke or who use to smoke. The earlier lung cancer is detected, the better the chances for successful treatment. If an individual is diagnosed with lung cancer, a doctor determines the stage or extent of the cancer and works with the patient to decide the appropriate treatment. A patient’s preference, overall health, and the stage / type of cancer all factor into determining the best overall treatment course. One or more of the following treatment options may be applied: target drug therapy, surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

If your senior loved one needs in-home care or assistance and your family could benefit from the contentment of knowing their loved one is peacefully monitored and comfortable at home, contact Champion Home Health Care promptly.