An Arkansas man is sharing his story of preventing not one however two types of most cancers on the similar time.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — An Arkansas man is sharing his story after studying he had not one, however two most cancers diagnoses on the similar time.
Jimmie Carpenter knew he had an enlarged prostate, so he by no means missed a routine screening annually. However one yr, he realized he did, in reality, have a kind of aggressive prostate most cancers and proceeded with extra testing.
He by no means imagined the testing would reveal one thing even worse when his physician found a spot on Carpenter’s lung, regardless of him having no signs in any respect.
“I believe essentially the most gorgeous factor was, everyone thinks, effectively, for those who smoke, you are going to get lung most cancers,” he stated. “I’ve by no means smoked a cigarette in my life, so it was simply a type of fluke issues, whether or not it’s genetic or environmental. Who is aware of?”
His oncologist in Scorching Springs referred Jimmie to a Thoracic Surgeon on the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Most cancers Institute in Little Rock. Dr. Nicholas Tenquist met with Jimmie, and collectively they developed a plan to deal with what was luckily an early-stage lung most cancers.
Dr. Tenquist stated lung most cancers therapies have come a great distance lately, with some sufferers in a position to go on and stay full lives.
“We’re in a position to function on issues that we’d by no means have thought doable earlier than and completely remedy a few of these situations. Fortuitously, for him, it was an early stage, and we felt very assured we might deal with it,” he defined.
Jimmie selected to have Dr. Tenquist take away the most cancers by eradicating a whole lobe of Jimmie’s left lung. Whereas it is a main surgical procedure, after solely 5 days within the hospital, Jimmie, along with his spouse Linda, walked out and started his restoration with each day train.
“Simply walked out, no ache, no illness. The one factor he needed me to do was stroll every single day to construct up my capability,” he stated.
At the moment, each his prostate and lung cancers have been handled. Carpenter credit early detection, his UAMS care workforce, and above all, his spouse of almost 61 years for standing by his aspect.
“She’s been supportive the entire time. I could not have requested for anymore,” he stated. “No matter she thought I wanted, whether or not I wanted it or not, she took care of it”.
Jimmie has a message to share with anybody dealing with a brand new most cancers analysis, similar to he did.
“I would similar to individuals to know that for those who’re identified with most cancers, it is not the top of the world. With medication and know-how, it is phenomenal,” he added.
Dr. Tenquist additionally stated that lung most cancers screenings are rather more efficient than in years previous. He believes that anybody between 50 to 80 years outdated, who smoked for 20 years or has stop throughout the final 15, is eligible for an insurance-covered low-dose CT scan.
