A Precautionary Low-Dose Lung Cancer Screening Saved Bill’s Life

Bill Euwer heard all the warnings about smoking.

During a 2023 checkup at Saint Luke’s Primary Care in Lee’s Summit, Bill’s nurse practitioner suggested he get a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening based on his smoking history to rule out the possibility of cancer.

“I was surprised the nurse suggested the scan,” Bill says. “She knew the latest guidelines for lung cancer screening, so I was fortunate for her. I’d say she saved my life.”

While Bill no longer smokes, his 40 years of smoking made him an ideal candidate for the non-invasive LDCT scan. The screening, which is more detailed than a standard X-ray, can find cancer in its infancy when it is easiest to remove.

The scan revealed a small growth on Bill’s left lung, which led to further tests with Vincent Lem, MD, a pulmonary specialist at Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute, who recommended a biopsy. The biopsy results confirmed the presence of cancer. 

“I dared the devil for 40 years smoking cigarettes,” Bill says. “I wasn't surprised, necessarily. Everybody told me I needed to quit smoking. I should never have started.”

Surgical success

Led by Michael Gibson, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon, Bill’s surgical team performed a robotic left upper lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection, which removed the affected area of his lung.

“As a practice, we prefer to perform all lung cancer surgeries from a robotic, minimally invasive platform,” Dr. Gibson says. “We've done almost 2,000 surgeries combined between three surgeons, which helps us treat patients while shortening their hospital stays, resulting in fewer complications.”

The procedure was a success, and Bill did not require additional treatments such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy.

Now two years removed from the surgery, Bill undergoes follow-up CT scans and X-rays every six months at Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City to monitor his condition. He has about 70% lung capacity and is able to walk at least a couple miles per day. While Bill knows he can’t do what he could when he was 50, he accepts what is within his limits.

Part of the family

Current guidelines recommend an LDCT lung cancer screening for people 50 to 80 years old who:

• Have a smoking history of at least 20 pack-years

OR

• Are a current smoker OR have quit within the last 15 years

Patients should speak to their health care provider if they think they are a candidate for this test. Like Bill, it could be a lifesaving test.

“I don't go around raising the conversation,” Bill says, “but if it does come up, then I encourage people to take responsibility for themselves.”

Bill’s entire medical journey has been through Saint Luke’s. This includes the birth of his three children, his appendectomy, his time at Saint Luke’s Marion Bloch Neuroscience Institute, his heart stents implanted at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, and now his lung surgery at the Cancer Institute.

“I feel like I'm part of the family,” he says. “It’s been a continual journey and Saint Luke's has been right there holding my hand all the way through.”

Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute

The experts at Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute provide early detection, expert diagnosis, personalized treatment options, and survivorship support to every patient. It’s what Saint Luke’s calls precision medicine: the right treatment for the right patient at the right time.