I Had the Lungs of a Smoker: A CT Scan Saved My Life
Dave Kohstall, 74, knew he had the lungs of a smoker. He started smoking in elementary school. And smoked for decades. When his doctor said they should take a look inside his lungs, he resisted.
“I didn't want to have a picture of the inside. I knew what I'd done. I just really didn’t want to see it. I was scared,” he shares.
Perfect Candidate for CT Lung Cancer Screening
Get Screened for Lung Cancer If You:
- Are aged 50 - 80
- Smoked an average of 1 pack a day for 20 years
- Still smoke or quit within the past 15 years
- Have no symptoms (like unexplained cough or shortness of breath)
But Dave met the guidelines for someone who should definitely get screened. And it found lung cancer so early he was able to find a cure with a minimally invasive surgery. No radiation or chemotherapy needed.
Now he just comes back for follow-up CT scans to make sure the cancer doesn't come back. Watch his incredible journey.
Dave Kohstall's Early Lung Cancer Detection Story
DAVE KOHSTALL: I started stealing my dad's cigarettes at probably the third grade. Everybody smoked, so it was just a common thing. I never really thought about the consequences to it, and I never really considered the damage that it could do.
AIMEE STRONG: So Dave's smoking history was kind of typical for his age demographic. He wasn't super excited to have lung cancer screening done, and that's not an uncommon thing. Most people are really nervous about lung cancer screening.
DAVE KOHSTALL: Well, I made an appointment and the first person I saw was the nurse practitioner, Aimee Strong, and she sat down and informed me of all of what they've discovered. There was a cancerous growth in the lower lobe of my right lung and that was frightening. You know, I thought, what did you do to yourself?
AIMEE STRONG: So we were able to get Dave in to meet with one of our thoracic surgeons, Dr. Phil Carrott. And Dr. Carrott very quickly was able to get Dave to the operating room to actually take out that part of the lung where that cancer was living. The recovery from our minimally-invasive surgery is very quick. People are usually in the hospital a couple of nights. And for Dave, surgery was curative for him. He did not need to go on to get any sort of treatment afterwards. No chemotherapy, no radiation therapy. We simply follow him with CT scans of the chest every six months for two years. And as long as things look good, we'll get a scan once a year thereafter.
DAVE KOHSTALL: I go in there every six months wondering, is it coming back? Is it gone? But it's always so nice to have Dr. Carrott or Aimee sit there and say, 'Hey, it's all good.' And I have been cancer free for almost two years now. After the surgery, I was coming out of Dr. Carrott's office and I thought to myself, 'What is it that I could give back to this place?' Because I was elated that I had a chance to survive. And as I was walking out of the Cancer Center, I thought, Well, maybe I could be a volunteer. I wonder if they have volunteers? The thing I like most about volunteering is supporting people that are fearful, anxious and attempting to let them know that they're cared for here and that if there's anything they need, ask anyone that's employed here and we'll help them. I was hesitant to get screened for lung cancer because I was afraid to know what damage I had done. I attempt to suggest to people who smoke that they get a CT scan. Have the courage to take the initiative to find out what it is you need to know about your own health that might save your life.
Don't Wait for Signs of Lung Cancer
Get screened with a CT scan.
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