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Healthy lungs are key to your overall health. They help you think clearly, allow your organs and tissues to function smoothly, and help your immune system protect your body.

Bill Bunch’s favorite activities include golfing, tending to his yard, and playing catch with his grandson. Each one became more difficult and less enjoyable for the retiree during a six-year span in which a worsening back condition affected his hips, legs, and feet.

Lung cancer screenings have been shown to reduce deaths by 20%-30% in high-risk populations. Learn about who should be screened as well as what to expect during the scan.

In a surgical suite at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, a robotic arm snakes an ultra-thin, ultra-flexible tube through a patient’s airway. Once the tube reaches the lungs, the surgeon operating the device remotely uses a tiny camera to search the area for an abnormal growth, or nodule, that might be cancerous.

The earlier lung cancer is detected, the better the odds are of successful treatment.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid recently adopted new guidelines for lung cancer screening, changing the age at which men and women should start screening and expanding criteria for smoking history.

Matt Neil, radiotherapy service engineer on the BJC clinical asset management team.