How Lung Assessment Works

Back to Taking Care of Me

How Lung Assessment Works

Quality of Life Interventions from the Columbia University Department of Surgery

Joshua R. Sonett, MD
Chief, Section of General Thoracic Surgery
Director, High-Risk Lung Assessment Program
Columbia University Medical Center
In Affiliation with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Phone: 877.586.4212

The term lung disease refers to a variety of conditions, including pulmonary fibrosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer, and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). COPD, a group of conditions including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.

While a person's lung disease risk may be influenced by heredity, exposures—to environmental toxins such as cigarette smoke, asbestos, dust, and hazardous chemicals—play a significant role in many lung conditions. Those at risk from environmental exposures require screening, and if abnormalities are found, appropriate follow-up by a specialist. If you think you are at risk, our team recommends an initial visit with a pulmonologist to determine your risk and what type of screening is appropriate for you. From there, your physician can help you take measures to avoid lung disease or slow its progression.

When a suspicious lung nodule is found, follow-up is critical and must be undertaken by an experienced clinical team. Not all lung cancers grow aggressively, and may require a "watching-and-waiting" approach with repeated imaging tests to facilitate decisions about surgery and chemotherapy. When intensified screening becomes necessary, biopsies can now be performed minimally invasively. Endobronchial ultrasound, conducted via a tube inserted through the mouth and into the esophagus, provides sophisticated staging of nodules in patients with lung cancer.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people are diagnosed with lung disease. The High-Risk Lung Assessment Program at Columbia is founded on the imperatives of screening and expert follow-up, which can help individuals at risk live longer, more comfortable lives.

Quality of Life Interventions from the Columbia University Department of Surgery