Lung cancer kills more people in the United States each year than any other kind of cancer – as many as colon and rectal cancers, breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Part of the reason for that, the cancer is caught too late, because so few people get screened for lung cancer.

In this episode we learn how primary care can be the key to more screenings and fewer deaths with Dr. Heather Bittner Fagan, a primary care physician at ChristianaCare. She is a leading researcher in this area, studying ways to improve screening rates and strengthen conversations between physicians and patients.

Dr. Bittner Fagan discusses her research specifically while also broadly explaining who is most at-risk for lung cancer and the significant benefits/minor risks of screening for those patients. She provides clarity into the prognosis for lung cancer and debunks the myth that it is a death sentence.

Dr. Heather Bittner Fagan is a practicing physician, faculty member, and researcher in Family & Community Medicine at ChristianaCare. Dr. Fagan has a strong presence in cancer screening, particularly in primary care and underserved populations, and has received national funding for lung cancer screening. Dr. Fagan has been recognized for her work in cancer control and prevention and has published in various journals.

Dr. Bittner Fagan acknowledges  Ronald E. Myers, PhD DSW at Thomas Jefferson University who is the principal investigator for the LCS-MAPPS study mentioned in the podcast.

LINKS

• ChristianaCare Lung Health and Screening Program
• Telephone-Based Shared Decision-making for Lung Cancer Screening in Primary Care (Dr. Fagan's research)
• Outreach to primary care patients in lung cancer screening: A randomized controlled trial
• American Lung Association - Saved by the Scan
• Who Should Be Screened for Lung Cancer? (CDC)

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