Kathy Griffin Gets Glam After Beating Lung Cancer
- Comedian Kathy Griffin, 61, recently got dolled up for a photoshoot for Interview magazine; she is thriving after beating lung cancer.
- Griffin, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021 and has been public about her diagnosis and cancer battle. She was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer.
- People who are current or former smokers should screen for lung cancer.
Sharing the snap on Instagram, she writes, “Pic from my fancy @interviewmag piece. They really dollied me up! Just the way Andy Warhol would've wanted!”
Read MoreView this post on InstagramGriffin lives in Malibu with her doting husband, Randy Bick.
Kathy Griffin’s Lung Cancer Journey
Kathy Griffin was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021 and has been very public about her diagnosis and cancer battle. She's a non-smoker and was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer. A stage 1 lung cancer diagnosis indicates that the cancer hasn't spread to the lymph nodes or other organs in the body.
Symptoms of lung cancer typically include:
- Sudden and unexplained weight loss
- Constant coughing that becomes painful over time
- Shortness of breath
- Changes in voice or difficulty speaking without getting winded
- Pain in the torso, mid- and upper-back, and shoulders
- Discoloration or a sudden change in color of mucus and saliva
Griffin had surgery to treat her disease, which, as she shares, impacted her voice and her vocal chords. Lung cancer surgery impacts the body in various ways. It may cause fatigue, leaving the patient feeling weak and tired. There's also the risk of infection after surgery. Signs of infection after lung cancer surgery can include: shivering, feeling nauseous, swelling or redness around the surgical wound, and fluctuating temperature. Speak with your doctor if you experience any of these things.
Breathlessness is also normal after lung cancer surgery. Long-term pain can present as well. A study published by the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery examined the risk factors of vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) following lung cancer surgery in patients. The study found that 86100% of patients reported hoarseness after surgery following RLN paralysis (a nerve injury that has the potential to occur after surgery for lung cancer). And in 45% of the patients studied, hoarseness was the only symptom of VCD after lung surgery.
What Happens When You've Been Newly Diagnosed With Lung Cancer
Screening for Lung Cancer
It's important to know that you don't have to be a smoker, or have smoked at all, to get lung cancer. Griffin is a non-smoker.
Dr. Patrick Forde, director of thoracic oncology research at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, says getting screened early is a must.
"Over the last few years, there's been a number of studies looking at using low dose CT scans of the chest in patients who have a history of smoking to try and pick up lung cancers in earlier stage," Dr. Forde tells SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
He continues, "About 70% to 80% of patients who are diagnosed with lung cancer, unfortunately, the cancer has spread outside of the lung and is not suitable for surgery."
Former & Current Heavy Smokers Should Get Lung Cancer Screenings Using CT Scan
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