Henry Chase was used to joining his wife, Judith, who has emphysema, for checkups with her pulmonologist, James L. Vermaelen, MD. As they were leaving one of those checkups in October 2023, Henry asked Dr. Vermaelen a question that had been weighing on his mind.
“I told him I get an annual physical, and things have looked OK, but I was a smoker for 50 years,” Henry remembers saying.
Dr. Vermaelen immediately encouraged him to get a lung screening — specifically, a CT scan. While Henry might have felt fine, a CT scan could show whether the former smoker had early signs of lung cancer. Caught early enough, the condition could be treated easily before it worsens, without the need for chemotherapy or radiation.
In March 2024, Henry followed through on his wife’s doctor’s recommendation. A few days after the scan, he got a call. The multidisciplinary lung cancer team at Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute noticed a spot in his upper left lung.
It could be a tumor; it could be a non-cancerous lung nodule. But he would need to have a biopsy done to be sure.
In April, pulmonologist Abdulla Majid-Moosa, DO, completed the biopsy and uncovered a half-inch malignant mass. It was stage 1 cancer.
That’s how thoracic surgeon Emily Cassidy, MD, of Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute entered Henry’s life. She helped him stop lung cancer in its tracks.
Dr. Cassidy in Henry’s Corner
Henry was immediately impressed with Dr. Cassidy’s friendly, casual bedside manner. He was sitting in a chair in the exam room when she walked in, hopped onto the examination table and began filling him in on the details. She explained his condition and what could be done to remove the cancer.
“I knew we would get along just fine,” Henry says. “Dr. Cassidy is great. She explained everything she was going to do and made sure we understood.”
In June, with the help of robotic surgery techniques, Dr. Cassidy removed 6 inches of lung tissue and 21 lymph nodes. Because this type of surgery is minimally invasive, when Henry returned to his room after observation in the recovery room, he was able to walk to his recliner and sit comfortably.
“The operation went like clockwork,” Henry says. Despite some bruising and soreness around the small incision site, Henry returned home the next day. He was able to recover quickly and breathe easily.
His case did not require chemotherapy or radiation.
Dr. Cassidy says an easier recovery is one of the main benefits of robotic surgery. She is also passionate about the importance of early detection.
“Patients without symptoms who identify their lung cancer through CT scan screening are much more likely to be diagnosed at stage 1,” she says. “These patients are often able to undergo a robotic surgery to remove the cancer. Conversly, when lung cancer is identified in a patient with symptoms, it is much more likely to be advanced. For these patients whose cancer has spread beyond the lung, there is very little chance of cure. Early detection of lung cancer is lifesaving!”
Dr. Cassidy also credits the multidisciplinary care the Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute provides, with a variety of specialists and care teams all under one roof. After Henry’s scans triggered the lung cancer team into action, he had his biopsy, surgery and ongoing survivorship care all through Our Lady of the Lake.
The Importance of Screening
In Henry’s case, he will get scans every six months for the next three years. If the scans continue to show a clean bill of health, he’ll only require a scan annually from then on.
Now 75, Henry says he tells his family and everyone he knows about his experience and why they, too, should get screened for lung cancer.
“I think a lot of people have a misconception about a CT scan,” he says. “It took three minutes, and it literally saved me.”
He also credits the Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute team for being with him through every step of the process.
“Everyone was just fantastic, and each section of the hospital was a great experience,” Henry says. “They answered my questions and made sure I had everything I needed. I really appreciate that.”
