Meet Kornell
Kornell Davis, Jr. was a long time smoker when he met his Primary Care Physician, Dr. Mohsin. Any time a patient is a smoker, she recommends a CT scan of the lungs once per year in order to reduce the risk of lung cancer growing and spreading.
Your PCP
Part of a PCP’s job is to make sure the patient feels like they are being taken care of, and that preventative measures are being taken to lead them on a healthy path. This includes screening for any cancers that a patient has risk factors for.
Risk Factors
For lung cancer, the most common risk factors are being a smoker, and being exposed to substances such a radon and asbestos.
A CT scan looks for pulmonary nodules, aka spots in the lungs.
Kornell Davis, Jr. says that the CT scan only takes about 15 minutes out of your day, and that it is quick and painless!
Dr. Mohsin wants people to know that just because you are being screened for cancer, does not mean that you will develop cancer. It is a preventative measure so that if you do develop cancer, it is caught early and is easily treatable.
Candidates for CT Scans
Anyone who fits any of the following criteria are candidates for CT scans of the lungs:
- Between 50 and 80 years of age
- Smoked for 20+ years
- Quit within the last 15 years
- Currently a smoker
The later lung cancer is caught, the more poor the prognosis is.
Lung cancer is the #1 killer of men in the United States. Make sure you are checking in with your primary care physician and taking preventative steps to keep yourself healthy!
If you or a loved one needs more information, please visit Riverside Health System’s website at https://www.riversideonline.com/
To watch this week’s entire episode of Living 757, click here!
If you want to view past episodes of Living 757, click here!
And if you would like to see someone featured on the show, please send a message to Share@Living757.com and you may just see them here soon!
