Veterans Organizations Call for Lung Cancer...( WASHINGTON Feb. 14 -- Today Lung...),Health

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Lung Cancer Alliance announced that for the second year in row, a coalition of top veteran organizations called for a screening program for veterans at high risk of lung cancer.

Rear Admiral Philip J. Coady, USN, (Ret.), chairman of LCA's Board of Directors said today, "LCA is deeply grateful to the leadership and foresight of these organizations for speaking out about the number one cancer killer."

A lung cancer screening program was included in the Independent Budget for Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09). This highly regarded comprehensive alternative budget, which addresses the most urgent needs of veterans, is being presented to Congress this week. The AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Veterans of Foreign wars are the four co-authors of this document.

"Lung cancer continues to kill more men and women every year than all the other major cancers -- breast, prostate, and colon -- combined, and our veterans are at even higher risk, especially those whose active duty service exposed them to Agent Orange, asbestos, spent nuclear fuels, propellant gases and other carcinogens," Coady said.

Admiral Coady, a thirty-four year Navy veteran who never smoked, was diagnosed with lung cancer three years ago.

"Because there are usually no specific symptoms, most people are diagnosed so late they die within a year," he pointed out. "Yet advanced CT technology available right now that can diagnose lung cancer at its earliest most curable stage is available, and high risk veterans not benefitting from this is wrong." he said.

Lung cancer is usually an indolent cancer that takes years to develop, thus the burden of treatment is falling most heavily on the VA. Late stage lung cancer is twice as costly to treat as early stage.

Meanwhile, a research program carried out by the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program at 40 center
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