A Timely Discovery: Laura’s Heart Scan Finds Lung Cancer Early
When a heart scan revealed a lung nodule, early diagnosis and robotic treatment helped Laura overcome lung cancer.
Laura Maron has lived a healthy, active life. As she was approaching 60, and with heart issues in the family, she thought it was finally time to see a cardiologist.
“My cardiologist, Maria Duca, suggested I get a CT calcium score,” said Laura. “The report on MyChart said my heart was fine, but there was something on my lung. She recommended I see a pulmonologist.”
After a concerning PET scan, Virtua pulmonologist David Baumgarten, MD, referred her to interventional pulmonology specialists for a biopsy. Laura received the news she least suspected—she had lung cancer.
“I didn’t smoke and I wasn’t coughing or short of breath. We don’t have a family history of cancer. I wasn’t following the script,” said the Cherry Hill resident. “But the doctors said they would take care of me and I would be fine.”
Robotics aids lung cancer diagnosis, treatment
Roughly half of all lung cancers diagnosed annually are made through lung cancer screening. The rest are identified incidentally by other imaging studies.
“People will get a CT scan on their heart or in the emergency room for another condition and discover lung nodules,” said Virtua interventional pulmonologist Mark Weir, MD, who used the Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscopy system to perform Laura’s biopsy in January 2025.
The bronchoscopy, which removed a sample of the 1.6-centimeter mass in the lower lobe of Laura’s left lung, confirmed she had stage 1 cancer. She was referred to Matthew Puc, MD, Virtua’s chief of thoracic surgery and director of the Penn Medicine | Virtua Health Cancer Program, who performed robotic-assisted surgery using the advanced da Vinci 5 Surgical System to remove the nodule in February 2025.
“If you have lungs, you can have lung cancer. That’s the reality,” said Dr. Puc. “Nonsmokers are not considered at high risk so don’t qualify for lung screenings. Without a calcium scan, we may never have seen Laura. And if we did, the cancer would have been at a later stage and may have been inoperable and perhaps incurable.”
During the procedure at Virtua Marlton Hospital, Dr. Puc removed the left lower lobe of Laura’s lung and nearby lymph nodes. She left the hospital the next day with no additional treatment necessary.
Why health screenings matter
Laura experienced some coughing related to nerves disrupted during the surgery, but slowly regained the ability to do the things she enjoys, including singing in her synagogue choir.
“Most days, I don’t even think about having less lung,” said Laura, a mother of two grown sons. “I do cardio, ride the bike, do burpees. I’m back to where I was.”
Cancer-free, Laura advocates staying on top of your heart and lung health.
“If they offer you a scan, take it. You never know what they are going to find,” she said. “They found my lung cancer at an early, treatable stage. I’m so lucky.”
Make an appointment with a Virtua pulmonologist
If you have trouble breathing, our team of highly trained pulmonologists can help. Make an appointment with a pulmonologist today or call 888-847-8823.
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