Early Detection: Why Finding Lung Cancer Sooner Leads to Better Outcomes
November 19, 2025
Hearing the words ‘you have cancer’ is something no one is ever prepared for. But today, those words don’t always carry the same apprehension they once did.
Though cancer remains a challenging and complex disease, advancements in research, technology and personalized patient therapies have significantly improved survival rates.
There are over 100 different types of cancer that can be diagnosed in an individual, all with numerous types and variations. The most common cancer diagnosed in the United States – excluding non-melanoma skin cancers – is breast cancer, followed by prostate cancer and lung cancer. The leading cause of cancer deaths – in both men and women – is lung cancer.
Smoking remains the most common cause of lung cancer. Other risks include being exposed to secondhand smoke; having a family history of lung cancer; exposure to environmental and occupational carcinogens like asbestos, arsenic, chromium, beryllium or nickel; and exposure to radon.
As with any cancer, early detection leads to better treatment options and higher survival rates. In the last few years, there have been incredible advancements in lung cancer detection. A low-dose CT scan is currently the standard of care for screening high risk individuals and has proven to reduce lung cancer deaths. A CT scan takes multiple pictures of the chest using low doses of radiation. Special technology combines pictures to make detailed images that help doctors detect abnormal growths, or lung nodules.
If a lung cancer screening shows a nodule that looks concerning, a biopsy may be recommended to find out whether it is cancerous. Trinity Health Of New England’s Interventional Pulmonology team has the most advanced technology available, and are able to biopsy suspicious nodules that were previously inaccessible.
The type and stage of lung cancer determine which treatment options are best for the diagnosis and the patient. There are a host of treatment alternatives for lung cancer including surgery, radiation, and medicines such as chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy or immunotherapy. Trinity Health Of New England’s Thoracic Oncology Program is a multidisciplinary team specializing in the care of patients with lung and other thoracic cancers.
The first and most important step for best outcomes is early detection. If you feel you are a candidate for a lung cancer screening, talk to your primary care physician for a referral. Trinity Health Of New England’s Lung Cancer Screening program follows the national cancer screening guideline, so you can count on us for appropriate testing and accurate results.
