Governor Andy Beshear joined advocates at the state Capitol in Frankfort Wednesday to proclaim November Lung Cancer Awareness Month in the commonwealth.
During the proclamation, Governor Beshear also encouraged Kentuckians to learn more about lung cancer, its risk factors and screening options.
The governor said Kentuckians suffer from lung cancer at a much higher rate than the rest of the country.
click to download audioHe noted the commonwealth is seeing improvements in screening and early detection, but there is still much work to be done to educate the people about prevention and to encourage them to get help once they receive a diagnosis.
Dr. Timothy Mullett, a professor of cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Kentucky, accepted the governor’s proclamation on behalf of the Kentucky LEADS Collaborative. Dr. Mullett also is the medical director of Markey Cancer Center affiliate & Research Network, a program that provides high-quality cancer care and high-priority clinical trials and serves as the chair of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
Dr. Mullett says Kentucky is home to some of the worst cancer rates in the country, and lung cancer is at the top of that list. He notes the good news is that our methods for lung cancer screenings, treatment and prevention have significantly improved over the years, and because of their collaborative work in early detection in lunch cancer, they are seeing decreases in late-stage cancer that they have not seen before.
click to download audioWhile Kentucky is second in the nation in lung cancer screening, state officials say nearly 11% of those diagnosed with lung cancer do not receive cancer treatment — a significantly higher rate than the national average.
Health officials say for Kentuckians who are or were smokers, screening for lung cancer is particularly important. Lung cancer screening is recommended for adults who have no symptoms but who are at high risk for developing the disease because of their smoking history and age.
If cancer is found early, there are more treatment options available for patients and the chance of survival is much higher.
