Margareta Mihailescu's Story
Lung Cancer Survivor
Margareta Mihailescu was a smoker for more than 30 years when she quit in 2009. As a nurse, Margareta was well aware of the risks to her health caused by smoking.
In September 2014, Margareta’s primary care physician, Dr. Inga Tuluca, advised her to have a lung cancer screening CT scan which revealed a lesion in her right lung. After further testing, Margareta was referred to Dr. Michael Ebright, Director of Thoracic Surgery at Stamford Hospital.
“Of course, when I heard the diagnosis, I was shocked and very anxious. My husband had passed away three years earlier after being diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, so it was a very scary and emotional time for me,” she said. “But once I was over the initial shock, I was able to think more positively. Dr. Ebright was great. He took the time to explain everything clearly and was very reassuring. “
Fortunately, the cancer was detected at an early stage and Dr. Ebright was able to remove the lesion through a minimally invasive technique, resulting in smaller incisions, less discomfort, and faster recovery time. Margareta was able to leave the hospital within three days and return to work shortly thereafter.
Thankfully, Margareta did not require chemotherapy or radiation therapy following her surgery. Instead, her physicians decided that close monitoring and regular follow-up visits would be sufficient. Today, she is happy to feel healthy and relieved to have received a clean report after her first follow-up scan.
Margareta is glad to be back to caring for patients as a nurse at Stamford Hospital, where she has worked since 1998. “Ultimately, I’m just so happy that this test was available and that my doctor knew about it,” she said. “To anyone with a history of smoking or lung cancer in their family, ask about getting screened and go for testing - because you just never know.”
Margareta Mihailescu was a smoker for more than 30 years when she quit in 2009. As a nurse, Margareta was well aware of the risks to her health caused by smoking.In September 2014, Margareta’s primary care physician, Dr. Inga Tuluca, advised her to have a lung cancer screening CT scan which revealed a lesion in her right lung. After further testing, Margareta was referred to Dr. Michael Ebright, Director of Thoracic Surgery at Stamford Hospital.
“Of course, when I heard the diagnosis, I was shocked and very anxious. My husband had passed away three years earlier after being diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, so it was a very scary and emotional time for me,” she said. “But once I was over the initial shock, I was able to think more positively. Dr. Ebright was great. He took the time to explain everything clearly and was very reassuring. “
Fortunately, the cancer was detected at an early stage and Dr. Ebright was able to remove the lesion through a minimally invasive technique, resulting in smaller incisions, less discomfort, and faster recovery time. Margareta was able to leave the hospital within three days and return to work shortly thereafter.
Thankfully, Margareta did not require chemotherapy or radiation therapy following her surgery. Instead, her physicians decided that close monitoring and regular follow-up visits would be sufficient. Today, she is happy to feel healthy and relieved to have received a clean report after her first follow-up scan.
Margareta is glad to be back to caring for patients as a nurse at Stamford Hospital, where she has worked since 1998. “Ultimately, I’m just so happy that this test was available and that my doctor knew about it,” she said. “To anyone with a history of smoking or lung cancer in their family, ask about getting screened and go for testing - because you just never know.”
