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Candlelight service to honor cancer victims by Cindy Abole Public Relations It is a harsh reality, but every three minutes someone dies from lung cancer. This year alone more than 170,000 Americans  will be diagnosed with lung cancer. Of these, more than 160,000 will die from it, making it the number one cancer killer striking both men and women. Next week, Nov. 12-16, communities and individuals around the nation will recognize Lung Cancer Awareness Week with various activities, including the Great American Smoke Out on Nov. 15. In the tri-county area, lung cancer survivors, friends and family members who are living with the disease will be recognized and celebrated, while others will be remembered for their courage and spirit. The general public is invited.  On Thursday, Nov. 15, Hollings Cancer Center, along with Roper CareAlliance and Trident Health System will cosponsor an hour-long candlelight service at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, 405 King Street beginning at 6:30 p.m. The program is made possible by a grant from the Lowcountry Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS). This year, the ONS awarded 30 grants worth $500 each to various chapters in support of local lung cancer education and awareness. This is the first year the ONS has sponsored these grants to assist communities with public health education to improve awareness of lung cancer and other diseases. “Receiving this grant is a big plus for the community and the Lowcountry Oncology Nursing Society,” said Colleen Corish, R.N., program manager for Adult Oncology Services and president of the Lowcountry ONS. “We chose to apply it towards current support of the annual Lung Cancer Awareness Candlelight Service. We’re glad our efforts will help honor all Lowcountry lung cancer patients, their families and medical staffs to promote community awareness of this fatal disease.” The program is being organized by Amy Metger, R.N., OCN, Lowcountry Chapter member and coordinator for the Hollings Cancer Center Thoracic Program. Each week on Tuesdays, patients from throughout  South Carolina have the chance to receive special care at a multidisciplinary clinic at HCC. Patients can see a medical oncologist, pulmonary specialist, radiation therapy specialist or thoracic surgeon all at one location. “This multidisciplinary effort has really helped to increase physician and staff communication for greater patient care,” said Metger. “It has also proved to be a great convenience for our patients.”  Each year, more people die from lung cancer than from breast, prostate and colon cancer combined. Lung cancer also kills more men than prostate cancer and more women than breast cancer. “There are so many negative stigmas associated with lung cancer compared to other diseases,” said Mark Block, M.D., assistant professor, Department of Surgery. “That’s because there is relatively little sympathy for people whose disease is seen as a consequence of tobacco addiction.” This stigma has shaped attitudes among the American public regarding smoking, tobacco and  lung cancer. According to Block, lung cancer receives less public interest and has less political impact than other cancers like breast and prostate. As a result, research funding is substantially lower for lung cancer than for other diseases, particularly with respect to its substantial impact on society. What’s not commonly known are the improvements within the last 20 or 30 years in lung cancer screenings, drug therapies, treatment regimens, staging and general patient support.  “Although it still is a bad disease, patients today can now consider options that will help improve their survival and provide a better quality of life,” Block said, who conducts cancer research and heads HCC's Thoracic Oncology working group fostering collaborative research on campus. “For these patients, learning that they have lung cancer doesn't mean that it is the end of the world.” Next Thursday’s service will include prayers, readings and reflections from patients, physicians and other practitioners. It will end with a small reception. This is the third year the candlelight service has been sponsored by HCC.  Participants will be given a clear lapel ribbon pin trimmed in gold. The image of a clear ribbon represents the thousands of people who are part of the invisible worldwide population of people affected by lung cancer. The service also marks the first year this effort has included patients, supporters and practitioners from neighboring Charleston-area hospitals.  For more information and to confirm participation in the candlelight service, contact Amy Metger, Hollings Cancer Center at 792-9703. Confirmations need to be made by Nov. 13.  Treatment Advances Have Improved Survival The cure rate for lung cancer has nearly doubled during the last 30 years With current therapy, 50 percent of patients with advanced lung cancer survive one year—a dramatic 40 percent increase from previous years However, 70 percent of patients who might benefit from non-surgical treatments never see a medical oncologist Several new chemotherapy drugs have become available in recent years that offer improved efficacy and fewer side effects Treating patients for lung cancer can help improve their quality of life Five Things To Know About Lung Cancer Lung cancer is not a death sentence—with new treatments there ishope. Raising awareness of the disease can extend lives for those at risk of developing, and those diagnosed with lung cancer. Here are some important fact to help increase your knowledge of lung cancer: Early detection can increase survival Advances in screening methods have increased survival More and better treatments have improved survival Addressing risk factors can reduce the incidence of lung cancer Lung cancer is increasingly a women's disease  To learn more about lung cancer, visit <http://www.lungcancer.org>.