Frank W. Bowen, III, MD, Director of Thoracic Aortic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology at Cooper, was featured in a segment for WHYY. The story focused on a new study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), that found that some people diagnosed with lung cancer decide not to get surgery even though it is the best treatment option.
Researchers in North Carolina wrote of two findings: 1) African- American patients were less likely to follow a recommendation for surgery than Caucasian patients, and, 2) Patients who opted out of surgery often said that doctors’ communication skills influenced their decision.
“This study is very concerning because with stage 1A and 2A lung cancer, the only acceptable treatment is surgery,” said Dr. Bowen.
Listen to the complete segment and view a transcript by visiting WHYY-FM’s website at whyy.org.