Good Catch!

As a woman who thought of herself as healthy, Eleanor Paynter knew something was wrong when she began struggling for breath after simple activities such as walking.

"I had been a nonsmoker for two years, but I knew my previous habit put me at risk for cancer," says Eleanor. "That's why I talked to my doctor when I first noticed a problem."

Eleanor's doctor immediately sent her for blood tests and X-rays at Cape Cod Hospital. When those didn't reveal enough, she also underwent a CT scan. The scan revealed a small mass on Eleanor's upper right lung, which was removed and determined to be cancerous.

"In Eleanor's case, the cancerous spot on her lung was too small to be detected by imaging such as X-ray," says thoracic surgeon Jeffrey Spillane, MD, who is board-certified in thoracic surgery and critical care on staff at Cape Cod Hospital. "Fortunately, a CT scan revealed the size, shape, and depth of her tumor, which made removal of the tumor easier and eliminated the need for further treatment."

Because early detection is essential to effective treatment, physicians at Cape Cod Healthcare are excited to see evidence of pilot studies from the National Lung Screening Trial (currently ongoing) suggesting that CT scans detect tumors earlier, which can mean less-invasive surgery and more successful treatment for the patient.

"I'm so thankful for the speed and accuracy of care that I received at Cape Cod Hospital," says Eleanor."Once the cancer was removed, that was the end of my treatment. It was caught so early that I didn't require chemotherapy or radiation."