Combatting lung cancer year-round
BY MEGHAN BYERS
SPARTA — November may be Lung Cancer Awareness Month, but one Sparta resident works year-round to combat this deadly disease. Dr. May Abdo-Matkiwsky has worked at the Sparta location of Regional Cancer Care Associates for the past ten years, and stated that while there have been some exciting breakthroughs in cancer treatment, there is still much work to be done.
"Overall, the data is reflecting that incidents are slightly improved," said Dr. Abdo-Matkiwsky. "However, lung cancer remains the number one killer of all cancers."
Abdo-Matkiwsky is nonetheless optimistic about the promising results shown by immuno-oncology, a newer type of cancer treatment that she has used in clinical trials at the Sparta cancer treatment center. "Right now, we don't exceed the five-year survival rate. It would be exciting if some of these newer therapies could help."
Those at the highest risk of developing lung cancer include people between the ages of 55--74, people who are still smoking or quit smoking fifteen years prior, and people who have been exposed to second-hand smoke or asbestos. Smoking, stressed Abdo-Matkiwsky, is by far the most dangerous risk factor.
"The most important thing I would tell patients is to stop smoking," the doctor said. "There are so many risk factors we can't control – our genetics, our environment – but smoking is a controllable risk factor."
The early signs of lung cancer can be vague, including such symptoms as unusual weight loss, fatigue, or a persistent cough. Dr. Abdo-Matkiwsky encouraged anyone concerned about the possibility of lung cancer to ask their primary care doctor about a low radiation CT scan, which is a simple, readily available, and less invasive screening process than a regular CT scan. Early screening is particularly important, because the survival rate for lung cancer drops dramatically if it is caught in the later stages.
"A lot of times people are afraid to go to the doctor," said Abdo-Matkiwsky. "They don't want to know if something is wrong. But now there are so many treatment options. We've come a long way, and we have cutting edge therapies available right here in Sparta. Lots of people think you need to go far away for the best care, but we have great doctors and support systems right here. We have everybody in place to have everyone's experience be as good as it can be."
"I live in Sparta," added Dr. Abdo-Matkiwsky, "and I care about this community. I'm working hard to take care of the people in this community."
Anyone looking for more information on lung cancer screenings, or general cancer care available in Sparta, can go to the RCCA website at www.regionalcancercare.org/.