Lung Cancer
Comprehensive care for lung cancer
Resources & support for your cancer journey
Expanding Horizons for Lung Cancer
North Mississippi Health Services offers innovative new diagnostic and treatment options for lung cancer backed by the collaboration of our expert physicians and Cancer Care team.
Lung cancer is the second most common form of cancer in both men and women, not including skin cancer. While smokers have the greatest risk of developing lung cancer, it is not the only cause of lung cancer.
Smoking tobacco is the leading risk factor; quitting will reduce your risk.
The longer you smoke, more packs per day, the greater the risk.
Secondhand smoke is the third most common cause of lung cancer
Exposure to radon gas; leading cause of lung cancer in those who don’t smoke
Exposure to asbestos at work or in deteriorating materials in older buildings.
Exposure to cancer-causing agents in the workplace
Taking beta-carotene vitamin supplements
Arsenic in drinking water; largely an issue in Southeast Asia, South America
Air pollution, particularly diesel exhaust, increases lung cancer risk slightly
Personal or family history of lung cancer
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends lung cancer screening with low dose CT scans for heavy smokers who have no symptoms of lung cancer.
Screening should start at age 50
Current guidelines identify heavy smokers as those with a 20 pack-year history.
20 pack-years = 1 pack a day for 20 years or 2 packs a day for 10 years
The screening recommendations include both current smokers and those who have quit in the past 15 years.
Screening should continue until age 80.
Low dose CT is available at Barnes Crossing Medical Imaging and NMHS hospitals.
If you experience these symptoms, you should talk to your health care provider promptly. Most of these symptoms are more likely to be caused by something other than lung cancer, but they do need evaluation.
A cough that does not go away or gets worse
Coughing up blood or rust-colored spit or phlegm
Chest pain
Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Repeated lung infections like bronchitis and pneumonia
New onset of wheezing
Hoarseness
Bringing Our Experts to You
As new lung cancers are diagnosed, they are presented at the weekly tumor conference at NMMC-Tupelo. As a team, they discuss medical imaging and pathology reports and recommendations for treatment including surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and radiation therapy. They consider tumor characteristics such as type, size and receptor status as well as aspects of a patient’s health and family medical history that may impact recommendations. Based on the information presented, a personalized treatment plan is developed and shared with the team.
The tumor conference includes radiologists, pathologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists as well as other members of the Cancer Care team including the lung cancer nurse navigator, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, dietitians and occupational therapists.
Lung Cancer Navigation at Cancer Care
Lung cancer nurse navigator Stephanie Grove, RN, has been a nurse since 1989 and has cared for cancer patients since 2019. As the lung cancer nurse navigator, she can provide:
- Guidance throughout your oncology journey
- Education on your diagnosis & treatment options
- Coordination of care
- Advocacy & support
What is an Oncology Nurse Navigator?
A cancer nurse navigator is a specialized oncology nurse who guides patients through the complex journey of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. The role is multifaceted and patient-centered, ensuring patients receive timely, coordinated, and comprehensive care.
The Lung Nodule Clinic at Pulmonary Consultants in Tupelo and Starkville Pulmonary Clinic offer specialized care for patients with diagnosed lung nodules in collaboration with Cancer Care. Our goal is to diagnose more lung cancers in early, treatable stages.
Lung nodules are small, round or oval-shaped growths in the lung. The Lung Nodule Clinic is designed for any patient with lung nodules, especially those identified through lung cancer screening or nodules found with medical imaging for other conditions, such as a CT scan after a car wreck or chest X-ray for pneumonia. With a provider referral to the Lung Nodule Clinic, we can:
Assess & diagnose with advanced medical imaging
Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team on your case
Assess the risk of nodule becoming cancer
Diagnostic procedures including robotic-assisted bronchoscopy
Coordination of medical imaging & follow up screening
Patient education & support
Treatment planning
Referral to needed resources
Lung cancers are often identified by the kind of cancer cell and how far they’ve grown.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 80-85% of lung cancer diagnoses.
Subtypes of NSCLC include adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma & large cell.
Small cell lung cancer accounts for 10-15% of lung cancers.
In situ: pre-invasive cancer that has not grown into surrounding tissue; stage 0
Stages I-II: Lung cancers that haven’t spread outside lung tissue.
Stage III: Lung cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Metastatic: lung cancer cells have spread to distant sites; stage IV.
Some cancers begin elsewhere and spread to the lungs.
Advanced Technology for Biopsy & Surgery
Advances in surgical technology are allowing pulmonologists and cardiothoracic surgeons to better diagnose and treat lung cancer at NMMC-Tupelo.
Minimally invasive robotic-assisted platforms are being used for biopsies of very small lung nodules and surgical removal of tumors.
For bronchoscopy – a procedure to examine the lungs – the robotic-assisted platform allows the medical team to move through the branching airways of the lungs to reach the small lesions for biopsy. This procedure reduces the risk of collapsed lung (pneumothorax) significantly.
With robotic-assisted surgery to remove lung tumors, cardiothoracic surgeons use four small incisions between the ribs instead of a large incision. Because the robotic-assisted surgery is less invasive, patients generally don’t need critical care post-surgery and are able to go home more quickly. While not every patient is a candidate for robotic-assisted lung surgery, cardiothoracic surgeons are using it with as many patients as they can.
Your multidisciplinary Cancer Care team will use evidence-based guidelines, the characteristics of your cancer and your personal health and family history to make recommendations for treating your lung cancer.
Related Locations
Mississippi’s only cancer center with all 4 accreditations
Commission On Cancer Accredited Program
Commission on Cancer conducts evaluation every three years; NMMC accredited since 1981.
ACR Designated Comprehensive Breast Imaging Center
NMMC Breast Care Center designated comprehensive center by American College of Radiology
ACR Designated Comprehensive Breast Imaging Center
NMMC Breast Care Center designated comprehensive center by American College of Radiology
ACS accredits NMMC’s breast care program
Meets national standards for comprehensive, patient-centered, multidisciplinary care.
Patient Stories
Breathing New Life into Lung Cancer Surgery
Robotic lung surgery offers patients less pain, excellent outcomes
Breathing New Life into Lung Cancer Surgery
Robotic lung surgery offers patients less pain, excellent outcomes
Related Resources
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Clinical Research
Cancer Care physicians actively contribute to research to improve care for current and future patients. Trials are available for all stages of cancer and include treatments, testing for biomarkers and lab devices.
Clinical Research
Cancer Care physicians actively contribute to research to improve care for current and future patients. Trials are available for all stages of cancer and include treatments, testing for biomarkers and lab devices.