ATS Breathe Easy

 Lung cancer is commonly associated with smoking. However, among people diagnosed with lung cancer, the proportion who have never smoked has been increasing, and there are many reasons why a person who has never smoked may develop this disease. Lori Sakoda, PhD, MPH, ATSF, a research scientist and epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, explains what factors may come into play, what the ongoing research shows, and what knowledge gaps exist on this topic. Patti Tripathi hosts. 

The lung Composite Allocation Score (CAS) was implemented in 2023, and has shown to increase lung transplant rates and lower waitlist mortality. Host Alice Gallo de Moraes, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, interviews experts Mary Raddawi, MD, of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Amy Skiba, of the Lung Transplant Foundation, on the importance of CAS and how it has changed outcomes for lung transplant patients. 

 This Giving Tuesday, we have a special episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast. Wildfires are a destructive phenomenon that decimates communities, infrastructure, and wildlife. But wildfires and wildfire smoke are also severely damaging to human health, especially for those who have lung disease. Stacie Reveles, of the Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute, talks about her struggles living in wildfire country with a child who has cystic fibrosis. She discusses everything from dealing with medications and evacuations, the mental toll, and the importance of continued research into these illnesses. Air Health Our Health podcast creator Erika Moseson, MD, MA, of Legacy Health in Oregon hosts. Donate to the ATS Research Program today to help families like Stacie's: https://aeugmntn.donorsupport.co/page/Stacie The ATS Wildfire Disaster Guidance sheet: https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/wildfires.pdf  Listen to the Our Health in Wildfire Season episode of Air Health Our Health for how to prepare your home and community: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/airhealthourhealth/episodes/Our-Health-in-Wildfire-Season-e162en9/a-a2ata11 

 Smoking is the main risk factor for COPD in the United States and many other countries. However, it is important to recall that there are other causes of COPD, from birth experiences to environmental exposures. COPD expert Meilan K. Han MD, MS, University of Michigan Health, discusses non-smoking causes of COPD, what patients can do to manage their symptoms, and how clinicians and communities can help. Air Health Our Health podcast creator Erika Moseson, MD, MA, of Legacy Health in Oregon hosts. Patient resources: - ATS COPD resources: https://site.thoracic.org/patient-resources/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd - GOLD COPD resources: https://goldcopd.org/patients-advocacy-groups/ - American Lung Association COPD resources: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/copd/resource-library  - UpToDate COPD resources: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/stable-copd-overview-of-management 

Exercise is key for managing symptoms for COPD patients. On World COPD Day, host Amy Attaway, MD, Cleveland Clinic, talks to Rachel Evans, MD, University of Leicester, and Russell Winwood, a patient advocate known as the "COPD Athlete", about how exercise can improve patient outcomes. They also discuss the annual Big Baton Pass, an international COPD awareness event, the importance for pulmonary rehabilitation, and the community built around COPD advocacy and support for patients. Learn more about the COPD Baton Pass: https://copdbatonpass.org/