Maimonides Medical Center recently held its Annual Flag-Raising Ceremony to raise awareness about the importance of lung cancer screening and prevention. The disease claims approximately 150,000 American lives per year, and remains the leading cause of cancer death for men and women.
“In the United States, only 16 percent of lung cancer diagnoses take place at an early stage and approximately four percent of people who are eligible for screening actually get screened,” explained Kenneth Gibbs, President & CEO of Maimonides Medical Center. “Early detection is crucial to help combat this disease, so I urge everyone who is at risk to get screened.”
The Maimonides Lung Cancer Screening Program, established in 2013, is a GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer Screening Center of Excellence and the only one in Brooklyn. In 2018, fifteen hundred patients were screened at the program using the most state-of-the-art advanced imaging technology. The volume of patients continues to grow in 2019.
“Lung cancer screening is a critical part of what we can do to save lives,” said Dr. Stephan L. Kamholz, Chair of Medicine. “The most recent statistics from the New York State Cancer Registry show that there were 1,236 new cases of lung cancer in Brooklyn. Among the prevalent ‘incident’ cases, there were approximately 600 mortalities. That tells us we’re losing the battle about half the time, and that’s why early screening is really important.”
Dr. Jason Shaw, Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Director of the Maimonides Lung Screening Program, praised the collaborative efforts to diagnose and treat lung cancer at Maimonides. “It’s a team approach with our oncology and radiation oncology specialists at the Maimonides Cancer Center. The extraordinary level of care at Maimonides is unsurpassed.”
During Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Shaw and his team also honored 60 lung cancer survivors to Shine a Light on Lung Cancer. During the celebration, Dr. Shaw raised further awareness about early detection and the advanced, cutting edge care available at the Maimonides Cancer Center. “When lung cancer is caught early, people can live longer,” he said.
For more information on the Maimonides Lung Cancer Screening Program or to make an appointment, visit https://www.maimonidesmed.org/cancer-center/cancer-types-of-cancer/cancer-lung-cancer/our-preventive-diagnostic-services or call 718-283-2059.
Maimonides Medical Center is nationally recognized for clinical excellence across all major specialties. Our accomplished physicians are known for innovation and strengthening our teaching and research programs. With 711 beds, the Medical Center is dedicated to bringing patients the most advanced care available—anywhere. Maimonides continues to grow in response to evolving models of care that better serve patients and families, and is an affiliate of Northwell Health. To learn more, please visit www.maimonidesmed.org.
