California woman survives lung cancer after seeing public health billboard

Denise Lee, a former public defender and long-term smoker, discovered she had lung cancer after seeing a public service billboard in Fremont, California. The advertisement, part of an American Lung Association campaign, informed former smokers that they might be eligible for lung cancer screening exams.

After following the instructions on the billboard, Lee underwent a CT scan which revealed a mass in her left upper lobe. Despite being asymptomatic, the diagnosis was confirmed through further testing and a biopsy. In March 2018, she underwent surgery to remove the tumor and 18 lymph nodes.

Following surgery, Lee completed four chemotherapy sessions and participated in an immunotherapy clinical trial. She has remained cancer-free for eight years and attributes her survival to the early detection prompted by the public health advertisement.