Early Detection Saved His Life: Veteran’s Story Underscores Importance of Lung Cancer Screening

“I figured they wouldn’t find anything,” Wishart said.

Wishart, born and raised in Massachusetts, joined the U.S. Navy immediately after high school. He served from 1970 to 1976 as an aviation structural mechanic specializing in hydraulics. Like many Veterans, he carried a decades-long smoking history into adulthood, even after leaving the service.

So when a representative from the Dorn VA Medical Center offered him a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening, he saw it as a responsible next step—even if he assumed the results would be reassuring.

But the scan detected abnormal findings, luckily the findings were stage 1.

“I wasn’t shocked, since I was a past smoker,” he said. “Luckily, it was stage 1 and all labs were clear after surgery. They did a lobectomy.”

Wishart’s story illustrated the purpose of the Lung Cancer Screening Program—early detection that leads to early intervention. Now nearly two years post-surgery, he continued to undergo regular scans and follow-ups while recovering from neuropathy related to robotic surgery.

His message to other Veterans was clear: “Don’t try to make reasons that you don’t need to get screened. The longer you delay, the worse your outcome may be.”

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A Program Designed to Save Lives

Theresa Chandler, NP, & Lung Cancer Screening Program Coordinator at Dorn VA, said early detection had been one of the strongest predictors of survival for lung cancer patients.

“Lung cancer often does not show symptoms until it has reached an advanced stage,” Chandler said. “Detecting cancer at an early stage allows for less invasive treatments and a higher likelihood of eradicating the disease before it spreads.”

The program used LDCT scans to screen Veterans who were at higher risk based on age, smoking history and other factors. Most screened individuals fell between ages 55 to 80 and had at least a 20 pack-year smoking history. Veterans who currently smoked or had quit within the last 15 years were typically eligible.

Chandler emphasized that primary care teams played a critical role. Providers reviewed patient histories, identified risk factors and initiated consultations to the screening program. Once a scan revealed an abnormality, a multi-disciplinary nodule board reviewed the findings and recommended next steps.

Veterans were then guided through further testing, specialist referrals and ongoing coordination. Chandler and her team remained with Veterans throughout the process.

“We ensure that Veterans receive thorough and empathetic explanations about the entire screening process, the results and the subsequent steps,” Chandler said. “We coordinate and facilitate their care, working closely with specialists and scheduling follow-up appointments. Veterans are not only medically cared for but also emotionally and practically supported.”

She described witnessing successful outcomes as the most rewarding part of her role.

“Helping detect lung cancer early and seeing Veterans achieve positive outcomes and improved quality of life is incredibly fulfilling,” she said.

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A Message for Veterans Who Quit Years Ago

Although smoking history remained one of the strongest risk factors for lung cancer, Chandler stressed that quitting did not eliminate the risk entirely.

“For Veterans hesitant to get screened, even if they have stopped smoking, it is crucial to understand that the risk persists for many years after quitting,” she said.

Wishart’s experience underscored that reality. He had been smoke-free at the time of screening, yet the scan revealed the first signs of cancer before symptoms developed.

Today, he continued regular surveillance and planned for another CT scan and oncology visit in November. Despite side effects from surgery, he remained grateful for the early intervention.

He credited Chandler personally for helping him through each stage.

“She truly cared about my outcome,” he said.

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One Scan Can Save a Life

For Wishart, screening changed everything. For Chandler and her team, his story represented exactly why the program existed.

The Lung Cancer Screening Program encouraged eligible Veterans to speak with their VA primary care provider about getting screened—not tomorrow, not next year, but now.

Because, as Wishart said, waiting only increased the risk.

“It was caught early,” he said. “That’s why I’m here.”

For more information about what’s going on at the Columbia VA medical center, clinic locations, and other services available to Veterans in and around Columbia, visit the website https://www.va.gov/columbia-south-carolina-health-care/ and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, keyword: VAColumbiaSC.