Lung cancer, by far, is the leading cause of caner deaths in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. It accounts for nearly one in five of all cancer deaths.
The American Cancer Society recently updated its guidelines about who should get screened for lung cancer. The idea is to include a larger number of people who might be at risk and prevent deaths.
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Mike McColgan was just 37 years old when he learned he had lung cancer. The average age of people with lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, is 70 years old. Only a small number of people diagnosed are younger than 45.
For McColgan, of Chesapeake, it all started when he felt a sharp pain while working.
"I ignored it. I took a few more steps. It dropped me to my knees with pain. And I dropped what I was carrying," he said. "I had two workmates come over, one on each side picking up my elbows. And we were going to the emergency room."
McColgan told News 3's Jay Greene he had been smoker since he was 16 years old.
The day he went to the hospital was the last day he touched a cigarette.
"And on the way out [to the hospital], I grabbed the cigarettes out of my pocket and threw them inside of my toolbox," McColgan said.
His doctors diagnosed him with pleurisy, an inflammation of the lungs.
A year later, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of lung cancer. He ended up having a lung removed in order to get rid of the cancer.
He didn't need chemotherapy nor radiation.
McColgan said it was early detection that saved his life.
"I feel blessed that it was that it was just so early...and that there was no other signs of cancer," he said. "And we weren't not going to do radiation or chemo that I could, I could heal and go back to work. That was a huge relief."
Dr. Bruce Waldholtz with the American Cancer Society and Eastern Virginia Medical School said these new guidelines come with three changes.
"The ages can expand to ages 50 through 80," Waldholtz said. "This is expanding the age and includes about 5 million extra Americans."
Another update is to the pack year. A pack year is one pack of cigarettes per day for a year.
"According to the data and the studies, the new recommendations is only a 20 pack year history down from a 30 pack year history. That means a pack a day on average for 20 years," Dr. Waldholtz said.
The third restriction that's being removed surrounds how long ago someone quit smoking.
"If somebody had quit smoking over 15 years ago, it was felt that they were not an increased risk for lung cancer and they no longer met the criteria to be screened," said Dr. Waldholtz. "The new data shows that's no longer the case. And as patients age, they still have the risk for lung cancer."
Dr. Waldholtz said the research shows earlier detection saves lives, and that's why the guidelines are updated.
"New data shows clearly that we can save lives by continuing to screen those people even if they've quit smoking," he said.
The latest guidelines do not include information about vaping and e-cigarettes, something Dr. Waldholtz would like to see included in future research.
Rule number one—don't smoke, according to Dr. Waldholtz.
"It's always easier in health care to prevent a problem than to try to come up with a better treatment," he said. "Unfortunately, many Americans do smoke many less than before in fact, the American Cancer Society. A population study done in the early 1950s was the first study to show that smoking causes lung cancer. We have many less Americans today smoking but it's still prevalent."
McColgan said it's always a good idea to trust your body, and if something feels off, talk to your doctor.
"If we can find it early, we can treat it," he said. "Otherwise it shows up in stage three or four, and now you're in a battle for your life."
