 |
A Breath of Hope
A new minimally invasive procedure at Ocean Medical Center offers a lung cancer patient a faster road to recovery.
George Woolley of Manasquan,
67, has lived in New Jersey
almost all his life. A passionate
outdoorsman, he spent any free time
he could find fishing, hunting, and living
on the water. "I always juggled two jobs,
but recently had to retire due to problems
with my health," he explains. "I have such
debilitating back problems that I would
huff and puff just walking to the mailbox!"
His health problems aren’t limited to
his back, unfortunately. During a recent
visit to the emergency department at
Ocean Medical Center for a recurring
gastrointestinal (GI) bleed, a chest X-ray
and CT scan revealed a spot on his lung. A
follow-up biopsy confirmed his worst fear
— he had lung cancer.
"I was in really bad shape," George
admits. "I was short of breath and weak.
My recurring GI bleed caused a low blood
count, as well." To top it off, his lungs were
damaged because George had smoked
three packs of cigarettes a day for most of
his life. His litany of health problems limited
his treatment options. Since he was not
a candidate for surgery to remove the cancer
from his lungs, it appeared that chemotherapy
was his only treatment option.
"As soon as I learned about the lung
cancer, I started to take better care of
myself," George states. "I quit smoking
and started exercising." These positive lifestyle
changes helped George build up his
strength and also helped improve his treatment
options.
Paul Friedman, M.D., a board certified
pulmonologist at Ocean Medical Center assessed George’s breathing and determined
that he might be a candidate for new
minimally invasive surgery. He recommended
that George see James McCaughan, M.D., a board certified thoracic surgeon
who recently joined Ocean Medical Center.
After meeting with Dr. McCaughan,
George was even more optimistic. "I really
like Dr. McCaughan," he says. "He spends
time with you to discuss your situation and
options. He told me I could be cancer-free
with surgery."
Dr. McCaughan recommended removing
George’s lung cancer with a procedure
called video-assisted thoracic surgery
(VATS). The surgical technique uses just a
small incision, about 2.5 inches in length,
which enables the physician to insert surgical equipment to locate and remove the
cancer. Since it is minimally invasive, a
patient typically experiences less pain and
has a faster recovery.
According to Dr. McCaughan, George
underwent a two-hour surgery using this procedure to remove the diseased portion
of his lung. "All the cancer was removed,
and he has a very good chance for cure
without additional treatment — which
means no chemotherapy or radiation,"
explains Dr. McCaughan. "He has no pain
from the surgery site, and George has high
hopes for his new lease on life."
"I was in and out of the hospital in
just one week," says George. "I’m looking
forward to getting back to fishing and
working on the house with my wife."
 – Anne Marie Keevins
|
Emphysema and chronic bronchitis
— illnesses that limit how much air
you can breathe — are known together
as chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COP D). Though largely preventable,
COP D is the fourth leading
cause of death in the U.S.
What Causes COPD?
Long-term smoking is largely to
blame for the disease. Other factors
that increase risk include:
- Frequent, prolonged exposure to certain types of dust and chemicals
- Breathing in secondhand smoke
- A history of childhood respiratory infections
- A family history of the disease
Lifestyle May Keep Lungs Healthy
The most important step for preventing
COPD is to avoid smoking. The
following strategies may also help:
- Exercise regularly to strengthen
your lungs. Aim for at least 30
minutes of moderate activity on
most, if not all, days of the week.
- Wear a mask over your nose and
mouth when working around large
amounts of dust or paint, paint
remover, varnish, or any other
chemical with strong fumes.
- Steer clear of secondhand smoke.
- On high air pollution days, stay
indoors as much as you can and
confine outside activity to early
morning or after sunset, when pollution
levels are typically lower.
Early discovery of a breathing
problem can prevent COPD from
progressing to the point where it
seriously interferes with your life. A
simple, painless test called spirometry
can tell whether your breathing
is normal. Ask your doctor if you
should have a breathing test.
A Team Approach to Lung Cancer Treatment
For those facing lung cancer,
Ocean Medical Center offers the
expertise of an interdisciplinary
board of physicians comprised of
specialists in pulmonology, thoracic
surgery, medical and radiation
oncology, radiology, pathology, and
primary care. Together, the board
analyzes each patient’s unique situation
to help determine the best
course of treatment.
|
|
