Veterans benefit from early lung cancer detection

Veterans are at risk for developing lung cancer at more than twice the national average—but at Asheville VA, early detection and timely, personalized treatment are transforming outcomes.

A hybrid operating room at the medical center allows VA doctors to find early-stage lung cancers and remove them in a minimally invasive procedure. This cuts time between assessment, testing and treatment—and when it comes to cancer, time is everything.

“Veterans have unique exposures—burn pits, Agent Orange, asbestos—on top of smoking history,” said Dr. Carsten Schroeder, an Asheville VA thoracic surgeon. “That adds up to a significantly higher risk of lung cancer than the general public.”

‘Don’t slouch on it’

Army Veteran Robert Young spent time in Haiti, Kuwait and Iraq, where he saw burning oil wells, burn pits and other kinds of smoke and dust.

“I had a checkup about a year ago, and they identified something they said they needed to keep an eye on,” said Young. “When I got a checkup this year, they said it had doubled in size.”

After talking with his wife and the doctor, Young decided to not wait to get the growth removed.

His advice for his fellow Veterans: “Don’t ever hesitate, don’t slouch on it. Get it checked out.”

Nationwide, only about 25% of eligible people get screened for lung cancer. Patients move around a lot, and many don’t maintain consistent primary care that can help them track their risks. 

Thanks to the VA health system, at-risk Veterans are automatically flagged for screening.

“Their smoking history and age are already in the computer,” explained Schroeder. “So, during an annual visit, the nurse or doctor gets a prompt: this patient is due for lung cancer screening.”

Every millimeter counts

In the Hybrid OR, doctors can locate and remove tiny lung tumors, even ones under one centimeter in a single procedure. 

“Every millimeter counts,” Schroeder said. “Once that nodule grows from 1 to 2 to 3 centimeters, the survival rate drops significantly, from 92% down to 75%.”

Schroeder says the VA system gives him the flexibility to act fast and decided on a treatment plan that is best for the Veteran.

One Veteran who can attest to that is Navy Veteran Gary Book, who knew he was at increased risk because of exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam and smoking when he was younger. When he enrolled in VA health care, one of his first requests was to get another lung screening. 

When tests revealed a growth, Book met with Dr. Schroeder and decided to have it removed. Now more than five years later, Book says he is still cancer free. He credits VA with saving his life.

Learn more about lung cancer screening in VA.