November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month

10/27/2026

Northwest Healthcare’s Lung Experts Can Help You Breathe Easier

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month – a perfect time to take stock of your lung health and risk factors for pulmonary disease, and to take quick action if you have concerns. In 2026, the American Cancer Society estimates that about 229,410 new cases of lung cancer – by far the leading cause of cancer death among Americans – will be diagnosed in the United States.

The disease often begins with a small spot, shadow, or mass visible on an X-ray. Physicians call this a lung, or pulmonary, nodule.

“Most nodules are not cancer, but it’s important to take any kind of spot in the lung seriously,” says Abhinav “Ab” Mittal, M.D., an interventional pulmonologist at Northwest Healthcare. “I advise patients not to wait to start diagnosis and treatment, because lung cancers caught at an early stage are far more treatable than those caught later.”

Certain factors make some people more likely to develop lung cancer. If you have ever smoked tobacco, been exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke or asbestos or if you have had radiation therapy to your chest, you are generally at higher risk. According to the American Cancer Society, about 80 percent of lung cancer deaths are thought to result from smoking.

“Regardless of your risk factors, it's important to visit a healthcare provider if you notice a persistent cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, unexplained weight loss or any other unusual symptoms,” says Dr. Mittal.

Pulmonologists at Northwest Healthcare provide diagnostic services designed to detect and stage lung cancer, including minimally-invasive, robotically-assisted bronchoscopy with lung tissue sampling. For more information about our team, or to request an appointment, visit https://www.nwalliedphysicians.com/pulmonology.

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