A simple scan saved one local man’s life

When 70-year-old Warren Meyer went for a routine checkup with his primary care doctor, he didn’t expect the appointment to change his life. During the visit, he mentioned that as a former smoker who had lost his wife to lung cancer, he wanted to check his lungs, just to be safe. His physician referred him for a low-dose CT scan at AdventHealth, part of the health system’s growing early detection program.

“I had quit smoking and felt healthy, but after losing my wife to lung cancer, I just wanted to be sure,” Meyer said. “That simple decision made all the difference. If I hadn’t asked for that scan, I might not be here today.”

The scan revealed a small, suspicious nodule in the upper portion of his left lung. Within days, the findings were reviewed by a multidisciplinary team at AdventHealth Daytona Beach. Radiologist Dr. Roberto Medina confirmed the spot looked concerning — and because it was caught so early, there was still time to act.

“Early detection changes everything,” Medina said. “On Mr. Meyer’s scan, we identified a small nodule that raised concern. Because it was found so early, our team could act quickly while the cancer was still small.”

Once the diagnosis was confirmed, nurse navigators helped schedule follow-up scans and surgical consultations. When surgery became the best option, AdventHealth’s thoracic surgery team worked together to perform the procedure at AdventHealth Palm Coast so that Meyer could embark on a previously planned vacation as scheduled.

Under the care of Dr. Patrick Mangonon, cardiothoracic surgeon at AdventHealth Daytona Beach and AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway, the cancer was successfully removed while it was still small and contained.

“Every early diagnosis gives us a chance at a cure,” said Mangonon. “When we can remove a tumor before symptoms even start, that’s what changes the story — and the survival rate — for our community.”

Because his cancer was caught at an early stage, surgery was all that was needed. Six weeks later, Meyer celebrated his 70th birthday cancer-free on a long-planned cruise to Alaska.

Stories like Meyer’s are becoming more common across the AdventHealth East Florida Division, the region’s largest hospital system with seven hospitals and a network of outpatient sites across Flagler, Lake, and Volusia counties, all working together to expand access to high-quality, specialized care close to home.

Across the Division, two innovative pathways are helping doctors find lung cancer earlier than ever before. One program focuses on proactive low-dose CT screenings for people at higher risk, like Meyer. The other — an AI-powered “incidental” program — scans thousands of imaging reports each month to flag suspicious spots found by chance when patients are being tested for something else.

Together, these programs ensure no patient is overlooked and have helped cut the average time from diagnosis to treatment from about 90 days nationally to just 30, giving patients a crucial head start in their fight against cancer.

“When lung cancer is diagnosed, the clock starts,” said Jennifer Bottke, an advanced practice registered nurse in cardiothoracic surgery at AdventHealth Daytona Beach and Advent Health Palm Coast Parkway. “For Mr. Meyer, we efficiently coordinated pre-operative testing and scheduled his surgery at our hospital in Palm Coast to meet his preferred timeline. Our goal is always to move patients from diagnosis to treatment as quickly and safely as possible, because the shortest time frame can make all the difference.”

That faster pace is saving lives and changing outcomes. In 2024, for the first time, more patients across the AdventHealth East Florida Division were diagnosed at an early stage than a late one — a shift that physicians say represents a true turning point in survival.

“Every early diagnosis is a chance at a cure,” said Mangonon. “For years, we saw most patients when surgery was no longer an option. Now, we’re finding more cancers when we can still remove them, and that means more people living full lives after diagnosis.”

Nationally, only about 5–6% of people who qualify for lung screening ever get one. Across the East Florida Division, that number is already triple the national rate, a difference that’s now reflected in survival trends across the community. And with the Division’s AI-powered incidental program reviewing more than 48,000 scans in its first year and helping identify 50 cancers, the combined impact of these efforts is expected to help diagnose more than 100 lung cancers annually — many now at earlier, curable stages.

“These programs are changing outcomes here at home,” said Sandra Jennings, director of oncology support and education. “Every early cancer we find represents a life that can be changed — and often, saved. Screening gives our neighbors a chance to stay healthy enough to keep doing the things that make them feel whole — working, traveling, and spending time with family.”

Interventional pulmonologist Dr. Wallace Thomas agreed: “If you wait for symptoms, you’re already behind,” he said. “Screening gives us a fighting chance to find it before it’s too late.”