Lung cancer survivor shares his story

 St. Petersburg, Florida- Local resident, Dennis Zabaldo was diagnosed in October 2002 with Stage IV lung cancer. At the time his doctor only gave him six months to live. Now six years later he is working out five times a week and lives a healthy, active life.

Monday morning Dennis and his Dr. Eric Haura, a medical oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center,  joined Ginger on set to talk about the treatment that saved his life.


Dennis is a 65-year old father of two. He is currently benefiting from a targeted therapy (which is said to be the wave of the future for new cancer treatments) and is doing everything he can to fight this disease and raise awareness for others.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. 
 
Lung Cancer Facts:

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers, with newly diagnosed cases expected to exceed 215,000 in the U.S. this year. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, accounting for approximately 30 percent of all cancer deaths (more than breast, colon, and liver cancers combined) expected to occur in the U.S this year.1 In 2005, lung cancer killed an estimated 1.3 million people worldwide.

What is lung cancer?
Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of malignant (cancerous) cells in lung tissue. It is not a single disease but a group of cancers affecting the lungs and bronchi, the two large airways in the lungs.

Lung cancer is divided into two major classes, small cell and non-small cell. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85 % to 90 %  of all lung cancers.

What are the different types of NSCLC?
There are three major sub-types of NSCLC, which are defined based on how the cells look under a microscope.
? Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of NSCLC, accounting for approximately 40 % of cases. It typically arises near the outer surface of the lung and can vary in size and rate of growth. 

? Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) is a type of adenocarcinoma that occurs more commonly in women and non-smokers.

? Squamous cell carcinoma generally arises in one of the bronchi and tends to grow relatively slowly.

? Large cell carcinoma can appear in any part of the lung and tends to grow and spread
more quickly.

Approximately 55 to 65 % of lung cancers are non-squamous NSCLC. 3

What are the different stages of NSCLC? 
Staging of cancer, which is based on the extent or severity of disease, helps physicians to determine appropriate treatment. NSCLC stages range from I (least advanced) through IV (most advanced).
? Stage I - tumor is located in only one lung and has not spread to lymph nodes or outside the chest.

? Stage II - tumor is located in one lung and may involve lymph nodes on the same side of the chest.

? Stage III - more extensive lymph node involvement and/or the primary tumor has spread to more than one location in the chest.

? Stage IV - tumor has spread to other distant sites in the body.

Unfortunately, most patients are not diagnosed with NSCLC until the cancer has reached an advanced stage (III or IV).

What is the survival rate of NSCLC?
The average age-adjusted five-year relative survival rate for Americans with NSCLC is 15 percent. The more advanced NSCLC is at time of diagnosis, the poorer the prognosis.

Stages 5-Year Survival Rate
Stage I 47%
Stage II 26%
Stage III 8%
Stage IV 2%
Overall Survival 15%

What causes NSCLC?
? Cigarette smoking is the leading risk factor for developing lung cancer. Along with second-hand exposure to cigarette smoke, it accounts for an estimated 87 % of lung cancer cases.

? Other risk factors for lung cancer include exposure to arsenic, radon, benzene, asbestos or radiation therapy to the chest, or a history of tuberculosis.

? Family history of lung cancer can also contribute to an increased risk of the disease and may be due to shared environmental and genetic factors.

? An individual with multiple risk factors has a significantly increased risk of developing
lung cancer.

How is NSCLC treated?
? Currently, there are four standard treatments for lung cancer: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies. One or more of these therapies may be used, depending on the type of cancer, the stage of the disease, and the overall health and age of the patient.1 
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