| Wellness |
SEPTEMBER , 2023 | THE HEALTH
27 pulmonologist telling me the nodule had grown , which is a big indicator that it could be cancer . I was so angry . To go from hearing an enthusiastic ‘ It ’ s nothing !’ to a sombre ‘ You need surgery immediately ’ is disorienting .
Three days later , I met with a surgeon with 30 years of experience performing the type of lung biopsy I needed . The plan was to do laparoscopic surgery to remove the mass in my left lower lung and test it for cancer .
If it was cancer , my surgeon told me he ’ d remove the lower lobe of my left lung and any lymph nodes in the area where the cancer may have spread . During the procedure , the mass turned out to be larger than they thought based on my scans . And it wasn ’ t a solid mass ; it resembled something more like jelly , which my surgeon told me was unusual .
When I got out of surgery , my doctor told me he hadn ’ t seen anything like it in 30 years . He knew it was cancer , but he had to send the mass to the Cleveland Clinic to determine what type of cancer it was .
A week later , he called me with the news : I had non-small cell lung cancer . Luckily , it was a slow-growing variety that originated in my lung - not my breasts or intestines , which are common points of origin for this type of lung cancer .
After spending the next two weeks testing every part of my body to see if the cancer had spread , my second surgery was scheduled . This surgery would remove the lower lobe of my left lung and some surrounding lymph nodes . When I woke up , my surgeon told me he ’ d removed all the cancer , and I wouldn ’ t need chemotherapy or radiation .
FROM WORRIED PATIENT TO PASSIONATE ADVOCATE
Once the cancer was out of my body , I was relieved . But like most cancer survivors will tell you , there ’ s always a feeling of underlying anxiety . I always have moments where I ’ m wondering : Is this really over ? Could the cancer be anywhere else in my body ?
Every cough , every ache , every pain - all of it makes me think . I ’ ve even stubbed my toe and thought , Did I just erupt something in my body ? Now when I go to the doctor , I make sure they ’ re looking in every nook and cranny of my body for cancer .
What I ’ ve learned about lung cancer is that it doesn ’ t always matter if you don ’ t have any of the known risk factors for the disease , like a history of smoking , exposure to secondhand smoke or exposure to other cancer-causing agents like asbestos or
Every cough , every ache , every pain - all of it makes me think . I ’ ve even stubbed my toe and thought , Did I just erupt something in my body ? Now when I go to the doctor , I make sure they ’ re looking in every nook and cranny of my body for cancer .”
radon . I never smoked . And I was young when I was diagnosed .
Most people who are diagnosed with lung cancer are 65 or older , and lung cancer screenings aren ’ t recommended until age 50 . Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in the US . In fact , the average five-year survival rate is only 18.6 per cent - which is nearly five times lower than the odds you ’ re given if you ’ re diagnosed with breast cancer or prostate cancer .
I also learned that people of colour are less likely to receive an early diagnosis or targeted treatments , and we have a lower overall survival rate than others who are diagnosed with the disease . There is an urgent need to address these disparities that affect underserved communities .
One of the ways I ’ m trying to do that is to share my story and talk about how important it is to listen to your intuition if you fear something is wrong . I ’ m on the board of directors of a lung cancer non-profit called LUNGevity . I also work with health organisations to advocate for people of colour throughout their cancer journeys . I learned first-hand how crucial it is to follow up with doctors until you get the care you need .
HOW TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH
Throughout my lung cancer journey , I ’ ve learned a few things to make sure I ’ m getting the proper health care I need :
• First , it ’ s important to learn as much as you can about your health . Read what you can from trusted sources , ask your doctor questions about health concerns you have and stay on top of your healthcare appointments . This will help you advocate for yourself and trust that you are a reliable narrator of your story .
• It ’ s also important to realise that health disparities exist . We are all biased in some way , and this leads to biases that create those health disparities . As a patient , it ’ s important to know these biases exist and then own your health . Listen to your instincts and keep looking until you find a healthcare team that takes your concerns seriously , listens to you and believes you .
• Finally , it ’ s crucial to let your physicians know who you are as a person . When I first met with my surgeon , I really wanted him to see me . I noticed a picture in his office of his daughter and her child . I said , ‘ I ’ d love for you to think of me as your daughter . I have a husband and a young son . I ’ m going to school right now to be a teacher .’ And from that point on , we had a connection . I think this is something all of us can do . Most importantly , I want everyone to realise that it ’ s possible to get lung cancer even if you don ’ t fit the criteria . It doesn ’ t matter what age you are or if you ’ ve ever smoked or not . And early detection is everything .” – The Health
This article appeared recently on the website of Johnson & Johnson
Send subscription to Revon Media Sdn Bhd A-5-1 , Parklane Commercial Hub , Jalan SS 7 / 26 , SS 7 , 47301 Petaling Jaya , Selangor D . E ., Malaysia . Tel : + 603-7886 6091