In this week s episode of ER , Dr. Greene discovers his father s lung cancer though a CT scan of his father s lungs. But, if you use CT scans as a regular screening tool, it is not cost effective. The following information was provided by Dr. Ettinger in an interview.
Lung cancer is very common.
We expect to see about 170,000 new cases of lung cancer a year and 160,000 deaths. It is the number one cancer killer in men and women in the United States. Eighty seven percent of lung cancer is caused by tobacco-use. If you experience any chest symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing up of any blood, or a persistent upper respiratory infection, you should see a doctor. Currently, we have no standard screening techniques to detect lung cancer.