Lung Cancer

Get expert screening and treatment for lung cancer near Binghamton at UHS in New York's Southern Tier. Our knowledgeable medical staff will work with you to determine the best treatment options for you and your condition.

Lung Screening: It could save your life

Lung cancer screening at UHS is a noninvasive procedure using the latest technology: low-dose CT scanning. In this procedure, a powerful X-ray device rotates around your body, generating cross-sectional images of your lungs. The detailed images allow doctors to see cancerous nodules and small tumors early, often before cancer has spread.

Compared to traditional chest X-rays, low-dose CT scans are four times more likely to detect cancerous tumors and six times more likely to detect stage I cancers. “In addition, lung cancer screening might also show if you have other conditions or diseases that need to be treated, like emphysema,” says Dr. Yalamanchili.

Anybody at high risk for lung cancer should consider screening at UHS near Binghamton. These factors increase your risk for lung cancer:

Smoking. People who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer than nonsmokers. The more years a person smokes and the more cigarettes they smoke per day, the higher their risk. Other tobacco products, such as cigars or pipes, also increase lung cancer risk.
Secondhand smoke. Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their risk for lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent.
Environmental exposure. Exposure to radon, a naturally occurring odorless gas, is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Exposure to substances found at some workplaces can also increase lung cancer risk, including asbestos, arsenic and diesel exhaust.
Family history. People with parents, siblings or children who have had lung cancer may have a higher risk for lung cancer.

If you have any of these factors, talk with your doctor or a UHS nurse navigator to decide if screening is right for you.

Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Early detection of lung cancer greatly increases your treatment options. Talk to your doctor or other care provider about if an annual lung cancer screening is right for you based on your risk for the disease.

Your screening will be a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan, which rotates an X-ray device around your body to create a cross-sectional image of the inside of your lungs. This image will help your doctor detect tumors or other abnormalities in your lungs that may indicate lung cancer.

Symptoms of Lung Cancer

You may not have any symptoms in the early stages of lung cancer. In later stages, symptoms may differ based on the type of lung cancer you have or the location and size of a tumor.

Lung cancer symptoms often mirror those of other illnesses but may include:

Coughing (50 percent of cases)
Blood in your phlegm
Shortness of breath
Wheezing
Pain in your chest
Fatigue
Pneumonia
Hoarseness to your voice
Difficulty or painful swallowing
Excess fluid in the lining of your lungs or heart

Lung Cancer Treatment

Find advanced treatment for lung cancer at UHS near Binghamton. Your doctor will first consider the least invasive treatment options.

At UHS, lung cancer treatments may include:

Chemotherapy – Uses medication—delivered intravenously or in pill form—to target and kill cancer cells
Radiation therapy – Uses focused radiation beams to destroy cancer cells in your lungs while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue
Surgery – Removes cancerous tissue in your lungs

Expert Cancer Care Close to Home

Find exceptional cancer services and lung cancer treatments near Binghamton throughout the UHS service area in New York’s Southern Tier. Services and treatments may vary by location. Your doctor will refer you to the location that best suits your care needs.