Great Plains Health

North Platte, Neb. – Great Plains Health has joined the annual  statewide effort organized by the Nebraska Cancer Coalition (NC2) to heighten  awareness of lifesaving lung cancer screening during November, Lung Cancer  Awareness month.  

“Many cases of lung cancer are not found until after the cancer has been growing for  some time,” said Dr. Todd E. Hlavaty, medical director of radiation oncology at the  Great Plains Health Callahan Cancer Center and board member of NC2. “That can  make the cancer more difficult to treat. When doctors find cancer early, it is often a  smoother journey for patients, which is why it is so important to talk to your primary care  provider about the screenings you need.” 

Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in Nebraska for both men and women. In 2023,  the American Cancer Society estimates 1,340 new cases and 630 deaths from lung  cancer in Nebraska. The stage of diagnosis strongly affects outcomes. The most recent  Nebraska data indicates that the five-year relative survival rates for lung cancer are 61  percent for early-stage diagnoses, while rates for later-stage cases fall to 34 percent for  regional diagnoses and seven percent for distant diagnoses. 

“It’s important for Nebraskans with a history of smoking to talk to their health care  provider about screening as soon as possible, especially those who have postponed  appointments because of the pandemic,” added NC2 President Dr. Alan Thorson.  

Screening for lung cancer with a yearly low-dose CT scan for those at high risk can  reduce the lung cancer death rate by up to 20 percent by detecting tumors at early  stages when they are more likely to be curable according to the American Lung  Association (ALA). Lung cancer screening is recommended by the CDC for people ages  50 to 80 years with a 20 or more pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or  have quit within the past 15 years. In 2022, the ALA reported only six percent of  Nebraskans at high risk for lung cancer were screened.