November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month: Reduce Your Cancer Risks Today

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), lung cancer accounts for about 13 percent of all new cancers. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. For smokers, the risk of lung cancer is higher than non-smokers’ risk, so I encourage smokers to make a plan to quit smoking during this Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

I would also recommend that you stay away from all tobacco products and byproducts, including secondhand smoke. It’s never too late to stop smoking. Contact Emory HealthConnection at 404-778-7777 to learn more from a registered nurse about finding a primary physician who can assist you in your health goals.

In addition to not smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests you get your home tested for radon. Radon, a naturally occurring gas that comes from rocks and dirt, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer. Radon can have a big impact on indoor air quality. If you would like more information on test kits, visit the UGA College of Family and Consumer Services Radon page.

Located at Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Manu S. Sancheti, MD, specializes in thoracic oncology, minimally invasive thoracic surgery, esophageal surgery, and lung transplantation.

A board-certified thoracic surgeon, Dr. Sancheti is an assistant professor of Surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery of the Department of Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine. He joined the Emory faculty in 2014. Dr. Sancheti holds memberships with the American College of Surgeons, the American Medical Association, the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Dr. Sancheti received his MD from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in 2006, after which he did a general surgery residency at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City from 2006-2011. He joined the faculty at Emory University after completing his cardiothoracic surgery residency on a general thoracic track there.