SF doctor starting initiative aimed at early detection of lung cancer in women

Wendy Armstrong considers the survival of her daughter, London, who was born 15 weeks premature, to be her greatest blessing. 

Her second greatest blessing? Oddly enough, it was being diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year.

“This has been the biggest gift and blessing of my life other than my daughter surviving her birth,” Armstrong said. 

What made the diagnosis a blessing is that it came early, stage 1, offering a life-saving opportunity for treatment.

Armstrong’s journey to discovering her lung cancer began while she was being screened for breast cancer. During the screening, doctors identified a suspicious nodule in her lungs.

While some recommended a “wait and see” approach, Armstrong’s journey took a turn when she attended a lecture by Dr. Heba Ismail, a pulmonary critical care and interventional pulmonologist at Sutter Health’s California Pacific Medical Center.

“I introduced myself, I said, ‘Listen, I have a similar nodule,’ ” Armstrong said. 

After reviewing the case, Dr. Ismail called her back later that day.

“We ended up doing a biopsy and it turned out to be cancer. Stage 1A cancer, which has great five-year survival,” Ismail said.  

Using a robot-assisted bronchoscopy, Ismail confirmed the diagnosis and a surgeon removed the nodule in a single procedure at CPMC.

Armstrong’s case is a shining example of the importance of early detection and treatment, especially in non-smoking women, a group that often faces unique challenges in lung cancer diagnosis. Her story, however, is still a rare one.

Ismail said young, non-smoking female patients are often not diagnosed until the disease has reached an advanced, late stage (Stage 4). Typically, these patients are misdiagnosed with conditions like pneumonia or asthma, with doctors rarely suspecting lung cancer.

“By the time they start having bad symptoms, like cough and blood or significant weight loss, it is usually too late,” Ismail said.

In response to Armstrong’s case, as well as other patients she has treated throughout her career,  Dr. Ismail is launching a new initiative at CPMC called Grouped Lung Cancer and Mammography Screening (GLAMS). 

The program aims to integrate lung cancer screenings with regular mammography visits for women, asking about lung cancer risks and potentially recommending further testing.

Ismail said the five-year survival rate for localized lung cancer is over 65%, while for late-stage disease, it drops to just 9-10%.

“The earlier you see or you find lung cancer and treat it, your five-year survival is much better,” Ismail said.